Salvation
by BlackerThanMySoul
Summary: It has been a good 4 years since then. Yet it seemed like a century ago when I thought the world was simple. And I thought I knew what good and evil were. I was wrong. My mistake followed me...I was 17. And completly responsible for my actions. #GrimmHime
1. Chapter 1

**Based on my favourite Japanese GrimmIchi comic**

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The bed creaked under their weight, old springs acting up again. Breathy moans and soft sighs accompanied the bed's rhythmic music. Skin covered skin and slid over each other, creating delicious friction and spiking the lust between the two. The one on the bottom let out a louder moan as the topper thrusted faster, feeling his climax reaching its breaking point. The bottom figure held on tighter as he rode her, biting on her shoulder till the metallic taste gushed in his mouth. Already used to the pain, the uke bit her lip, a groan slipping past it none the less. Her climax reached before his, letting out one last scream, his name, before relaxing her muscles and letting him reach is own peek, filling her with his white liquid.

He collapsed on her, breathing difficult and leaving her breathless by his weight. Yet she let him lye there, stroking his hair, much to his growling. He was too tired to push off of her and she didn't mind one bit.

_I was 17 then. And completely responsible for my actions_

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"HIIIIIIIIIIIMEEEEEEEE-CHAAAAAAAAN" Rangiku Matsumoto called, leaping from her seat and tackling the 20 year old. Orihime fell back, taking in the weight of her 'sister'.

It had been only 3 years ago when the busty female and her short caption moved in with Inoue. They had been posted in the human world for caution in case of a Hollow attack. 4 years back, the War with Aizen had finished and he had retreated with the rest of the Arrancars, much to the dismay of many. Thankfully there were at least a few survivors and time to recuperate for the next battle. Yamamoto instructed the shinigamis that had already landed in Karakura to stay there. They weren't taking any risks. Orihime had gladly accepted Matsumoto's (forced) request for her and Hitsugaya to stay at the female's house. She considered the two as her family and grew closer as time passed. Even Hitsugaya lost his ice shield and came in for dinner. They even helped her with her university studies as she had graduated not long after they arrived and chased after her goal of being a chef.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Matsumoto asked, looking up into Orihime's grey eyes with her shining blue eyes. If they had been related, which everyone had always mistaken that they were, Orihime knew she would always be jealous that Rangiku had lovely sea blue eyes that you could stare at forever and never get bored, and she was left with the dry grey ones.

"Um, right about what?" she asked, never actually paying attention to her friend and Hitsugaya's arguments.

"That leeks taste better in curry then in soup!" Matsumoto answered, perking up so she was sitting properly again.

Hitsugaya munched angrily at his tomato soup. Usually, he would make his own food, rejecting the dinners Orihime cooked. But that didn't mean she had to make less for two people. Matsumoto had the hunger of an elephant when she wants. Today, the white haired boy had stuck with the simple, cold turkey and ham sandwich with ranch dipping for his fruits.

"Well, er, I think leeks are best served in a sandwich with ketchup and pepper!"

Hitsugaya flinched but Rangiku actually pondered that.

"Can we have that tomorrow?"

"Oh sure! Actually I've been meaning to make that for awhile!"

The females continued to talk over what else would go on the leek while a something hit Hitsugaya's senses. He stopped in mid-bite of his turkey and ham sandwich and raised his head, concentrating on the reisitsu.

"Rangiku" he said, all hint of emotion leaving his tone. His fukutaichou stopped her conversation and looked over at her caption, familiar with his no nonsense tone.

"What is it taichou?" she asked. Inoue listened in.

"Something's here" he straightened his legs and got up, grabbing hold of the pentagonal object that hung on his side. Rangiku followed suite and the two popped right out of their gigais. Orihime caught Matsumoto's body as her weight once again crushed the smaller girl.

"Is it an Arrancar?" Inoue asked, as the two neared her window. Outside, the bright moon hung along with the stars that helped light the night sky. It was a warm night, the summer coming near.

Hitsugaya slid open the glass window and stepped right out.

"We'll see. You just stay here, Inoue" Rangiku instructed then followed her caption out. The younger female watched her friends dart into the night and disappear. She decided to leave her window open, since it wasn't cold and her friends could be back sooner.

And she might be lucky enough to receive a visit she had been waiting for.

She sighed and closed the window, scowling at herself. She knew every time she hoped, her wish would be crushed by either the fact that it wasn't an Arrancar or he decided not to come during an invasion.

Him…

Orihime sat herself at her table and looked down at her dinner, suddenly not hungry. Her thoughts merely lingered on the one man she hated the most. It was an understatement when you say 'Orihime hates someone' since she was always known for giving people second chances no matter what. She had given Ulquiorra a second chance. And he had let her down. But even if he came back, she would give him a chance because deep down, she believed he would turn his life around for a change. She was just that kind of person to believe that. And _he_, the other, was the cruelest to her.

No, Inoue knew that she despised this man that haunted her thoughts, dreams and nightmare. She could still smell him, around her and on her, at night, when it was a particularly hot evening. And when she dreamed of his touch, his kisses, his words, it only made her cry herself to sleep. She'd roll herself in a ball and silently wish she had never met him and never let him into her life. If she had the chance, she wouldn't hesitate to hurt him as much as he hurt her, even when he wasn't around.

But while she realized her hatred, and was sure of it with every fibre of her body, she would cry even more, because she knew she loved him as well.

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"I call it 'Inoue's Super Duper Special Awesome Magnificent Chicken Explosion'!" the female announced, raising her very fat and slightly wobbly bread mountain. Inside it was twenty pounds of chicken, covered completely in mayonnaise, pepper, ranch dressing, mustard, and vinegar. Clumps of lettuce, tomato, bacon, garlic, onions, and apples followed the toppings, and some stuck out of the delicacy. Inoue's friends stared in shock and disgust at her new creation but the female mistook at as awe. "Yes, I know it's amazing but you all don't have to drool over it! I brought it to share with everyone!"

"Um…thanks…Orihime" Tatsuki managed to say, having snapped out at her surprise to look at her friend. "But my lunch is…er, enough"

"Um, I'm not that hungry either" Ichigo followed, looking away from Inoue and her monstrosity.

Ishida quickly stuffed his mouth, having an excuse not to say anything. Renji simply backed away from the orange haired female and Rukia followed suite. Chad hadn't joined them that lunch, staying in to continue his observation over his parrot. The group of friends had crowded around the largest tree outside of the university, spending their lunch discussing their classes, instead of the latest gossip, like they did in high school. Or the recent Arrancar attacks.

After Kisuke had filled her in, Tatsuki had rushed to Hueco Mundo and helped Ichigo take down Ulquiorra, who immediately disappeared along with Aizen, unknown to those who were stuck in the desert land. It took awhile, but she had gotten over her anger that they hid their lives from her. Now she trained with Ichigo and Rukia at Urahara's.

"Hm, oh well, more for me!" Inoue giggled, and took a strangely large bit out of her creation. Everyone tried not to barf as a greenish thick liquid created a puddle on the ground. For some reason, it was difficult for splotches and dirt patches to find their way on Orihime's clothing.

"Well, anyways…" Ichigo began, trying to drive the conversation away from the monster in Orihime's hand. "Did any of you sense something last night?"

Suddenly, the group went serious. On the topic of Arrancars, it was not a joking matter.

"Ya, Renji and I scouted the area" Rukia commented, putting her salad down.

"Hitsugaya-san and Rangiku-chan sensed it as well" Orihime added, swallowing her bite "but I was asleep when they got home"

"I was with my sisters so I couldn't rush out to see what it was"

"We didn't find anything" Renji added.

"I just wanted to let the shinigamis handle it" Ishida said, adjusting his glasses. Renji stared at him.

Tatsuki grumbled, looking back and forth at her friends. "I still can't seem to get the hang of the whole sensing thing"

Inoue giggled at her friend. She did still have a lot to learn.

"Well, keep your senses peeled" Ichigo finished, picking up his sushi and plopping it in his mouth.

Inoue watched him, thinking over and over again that the man she hated hurt her friends, especially Ichigo. So she had to hate him.

Right?

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**I'm twisting the story so it's my very own and not a copy!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is chapter two! I decided to finish the story before posting it**

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He wrapped his arms around her waist tighter, digging his nails into her hips as he grinded their bodies together. A sharp groan escaped her throat, yet she cursed herself for it even as she wrapped her arms around the thick neck in front of her. She could smell the lust on him. He threw her to the bed and ravished her body with bruising kisses and painful bites. He ripped whatever article of clothing he left on her and filled her yet again, making her scream and scream in pain and pleasure. She felt and smelled the blood mix with her sweat and it only made her want more. She lifted his head for a sloppy yet rough kiss, not helping her already swollen lips. His thrusts intensified and she was forced to spread her legs even more, hooking onto on of his shoulders as he continued to pound into her. His smile, that shit eating smile, glared down at her, shining teal eyes followed.

"Beg…"

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Inoue woke up with a jump, her body half way off the bed. She breathed in and out deeply, and shivered at the temperature in her room. Pulling her covers over her body again, the female wiped sweat from her brow and curled herself in a ball again. She let the tears slip out, causing her to shake and stutter. Thankfully, Hitsugaya slept in the living room and Rangiku slept in Inoue's brother's empty room, so they didn't know about her waking. And she never liked to talk in her moments. She wallowed in the silence and darkness of her bedroom, sniffing her familiar sheets and regaining her body temperature.

Slowly, she descended onto her bed, and closed her eyes, letting her tears and sobbing drift her to sleep.

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Orihime held onto Matsumoto's body as they jumped from building to building. It was odd for a mission to be placed in broad daylight but at least it was a weekend and they were at the least populated side of town. Strange place for an Arrancar to attack.

They had gotten a distress signal from one shinigami out in the area. Ikkaku had sent a hell butterfly to Hitsugaya, indicating Yumichika was hurt during a fight with an Arrancar who has popped up out of no where near the country side and had vanished into the woods. They were headed there to see if that Arrancar was still there. Orihime had immediately asked to join them, being a close friend to the two male shinigamis after they helped her find her friends in Soul Society. She even grabbed onto Rangiku and refused to let go till they accepted her help. In return, she promised not to follow them into the forest.

They arrived quickly to their location. It was a familiar home because it belonged to a guy friend of Inoue's who dropped out of high school and was repeating a grade. Keigo greeted them as they landed. Like Tatsuki, he was also in on the shinigami secret but helped back up the shinigamis in the War instead of heading to Hueco Mundo with Tatsuki. A raven haired boy named Mizuru helped him.

"Bout time you guys got here!" he shouted. He looked more panicked then normal. His ran back into the house and the three followed him. When they opened the door Keigo had entered in, they say Yumichika on the white futon bed, his right leg under at least three towels and still bleeding. A large wound stretched from his ankle to the bottom of his knee. Green and blue colors joined in the onslaught of red. Orihime gasped and placed both her hands on her mouth. Yumichika, on the other hand, was fast asleep, Ikkaku sitting beside him. He looked up and glared at Orihime, then made the indicating of keeping quiet. Hitsugaya opened the door fully and entered quietly with Matsumoto, yet Inoue could not maintain the quiet entry, shuffling in.

"How's he doing?" the caption asked, folding his arms.

"Not so good" Ikkaku answered, looking down at his friend "I think the Arrancar bastard left some venom along the weapon he was using when he sliced Yumichika"

"I-I'll do my best!" the orange haired female said, trying to keep quiet. Yet when she looked down at the bishounen male, she frowned in sadness. Lying down next to his head, she slowly tipped her fingers on his forehead and felt his temperature. It was defiantly high. She slid closer to his leg and grimed at the tight smell of blood and something else. Placing her hands close to the wound, she whispered her command, and in an instant, her fairies came out and formed the familiar orange shield. She concentrated her energy and focus on the wound and watched it magically begin to close, even if it was slow.

After finding out just what her powers were, Inoue decided the best person to help her train was the Vizard Hacchi whom she has gotten close with. Her offensive attacks were getting better as well but all in all, she wanted to master her rejection. She knew it was dangerous to tread in God's territory but as long as she had the power, she would use it. As it became easier to control her powers, Orihime noticed the short white haired male talk quietly with Ikkaku whom he moved to a corner to talk to. The two quickly shuffled out the room. Rangiku sat beside her, watching her work.

"There is some kind of poison in his veins" Inoue informed her friend "I can remove it but not completely. I need you to get a napkin and when you see purple begin to form around the wound, squeeze it out and immediately wipe it clean"

The busty fukutaichou didn't ask questions, quickly getting up and disappearing out the room.

As she was left to heal, Orihime reflected on the possibility that he could have hurt Yumichika. Him; the one who tormented her as well. She could easily picture him, sword in hand, dripping with blood, and grinning like a mad man, looking down at the collapsed Yumichika, teal eyes glowering in the light of the moon, deep inside the forest. She could see him kick the corpse and laugh to the heavens. It was so easy to note every pull of muscle, every movement, every sound coming from the man, that it was beyond frightening for the female. She squeezed her eyes and focused somewhat of her attention on how much she hated the man, if he had done this to her friend. Perhaps this was the push she needed to destroy whatever love she had for him.

But even with that thought, she couldn't help but once again, be attracted to his figure. He may be broad and buff, but he had the movements of a cat, stealthy and sly. Though large, he was as quiet as a mouse and even quieter then a feather when sneak attacking. His body always looked shining against the Hueco Mundo moon; especially without much of his clothes on and his oddly color hair was so translucent, it was hard to look away. That grin that only meant doom to others, was, and always had been, able to send the female into a whirlwind of thoughts and sensual feelings, even before he touched her. He was never calm or soft when he touched her. It was always raw and rough and hard, like an animal. And that's the only way she liked it.

"I-Inoue-san…?" a voice erupted from the supposed sleeping figure. Orihime broke her train of thoughts by force to look up at her friend. Yumichika had one of his eyes half opened and the other squeezed shut. His head was leaning up a bit to look at the female.

"Yumichika-san!" she exclaimed. "How are you feeling?"

He sighed roughly and threw his head back on the pillow "pretty good. What happened?"

"Er, um, to my understanding, you were attacked by an Arrancar wielding a poison-covered weapon and then the Arrancar ran off into the woods. Ikkaku-san brought you back and you've been unconscious for a day and a half"

"Damn" the pretty boy swore between his teeth "almost had the fugly bastard too!"

Inoue giggled and continued her healing.

Rangiku returned quickly and prepared for the purplish liquid. When it did begin to form around the wound, Yumichika had begun to thrash and wail, the venom making his outer wound sizzle. Orihime had jumped back in surprise but kept the barrier, making even more of the poison come out. Ikkaku and Hitsugaya had quickly run back inside to see what was going on. They came in just in time to see Rangiku squeeze the venom out and wipe it clean with ease and practice. It left the pretty boy shinigami breathless.

"What…the hell?"

"That would be the poison in your veins" Inoue said, wiping the sweat from her forehead and dropping her healing barrier.

But her voice had gone unheard by Yumichika, as he had fainted right after commenting.

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**Going to slowly get to the real problem!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Please enjoy!!**

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The three shinigami and human left Yumichika to his slumber, slowly closing the lights and door behind them.

"So what were you talking about, taichou?" Matsumoto asked, as they were about to enter the main room.

"I just mentioned to Ikkaku that maybe the Arrancar that attacked them was what we sensed the day before" Toshiro answered, opening the door to the main room. Keigo sat on his small, worn out blue couch, watching whatever was on T.V. He looked up as the group entered.

"How is he?" he asked, in a sullen voice. Orihime was still surprised at how much Keigo had grown since learning of the shinigamis.

"He'll be just fine" Ikkaku nodded. Keigo smirked and got up.

"Want me to get you something?"

"Some water would be nice" Rangiku used her thumb to point to Orihime "for the girl. Nothing for me"

"How 'bout making us some sushi" Ikkaku suggested, throwing himself on the coach. Keigo nodded and left the group.

"Good thing his sister's gone for the weekend or this would be hard to explain" the bald shinigami chuckled.

"We'll begin scouting the forest tonight" the short caption answered, looking out at the sky. It had began to gain a purplish light which was when Inoue realized just how long she had been in that stuffy room. "We can't let the target escape. Night is when they usually make a move"

That was true. No one knew why though.

"And Inoue?" the busty shinigami asked.

"She can stay here. I'm afraid it might be too dangerous to take her along" Toshiro said, not making eye contact with either female. However, Orihime had gotten over not being taken along. Sure she was the problem and the solution in the War. But that was a long time ago, and her job was to heal now. Occasionally, members of the 12 division came along to take some of her blood for experiments. Soul Society was still a little caution when studying her power. She didn't know why they needed her blood though.

"I'll stay and watch Yumichika-san" she said, taking a seat next to Ikkaku, who looked over at her for a brief second.

"You ok?" he questioned. Inoue was surprised at his comment.

"Um, yeah. Why?"

"Mmm, I just see some bags under your eyes" he answered, titling his head.

"Where?" Rangiku shuffled to Orihime, her face etched in confusion. Sometimes, the women really did act like her mother. Her perfectly manicured fingers dug into Inoue's cheek as they lifted her head and pulled under her eyes. "Oh yeah, I see that!" she let go and looked at the other female "are you ok Inoue?"

"I-I'm just fine!" she said, leaning away from Matsumoto, smile formed. "Really! I'm ok!"

"Are you sleeping well?" the shinigami would just not give up.

"Er, yes…" Inoue tried not to make eye contact. She was a terrible liar.

"Orihime…"

Keigo entered the room at that moment, four small plates in both hands. "Hey, am I missing something?" he grinned, and placed the plates on the small table in front of the couch. Sushis were perfectly stacked on each plate.

"Yeah!" Ikkaku used his weight to bounce almost off the couch and grabbed his plate, digging into the sushi immediately. Inoue giggled at his sushi fetish. She wasn't sure when he had started thought.

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She glanced at the clock beside her. 9:36. Rangiku, Ikkaku and Hitsugaya had been gone for 2 hours. She couldn't help but worry, even though she knew their strength was tough to match. Especially after their training. Sighing, she looked back at the still form of Yumichika. He was breathing normally, but Inoue had draped another cover over him, just in case. Keigo was already asleep in his room. Orihime was planning to stay up till her friends came back, in case they were injured and she was too asleep to be woken up. She was a terribly heavy sleeper. A book she found in Keigo's sister's room kept her going. Along with a brew of coffee. She sipped said drink and returned to her story. Thankfully, it was a thick book called _Twilight_. Inoue was a sucker for the romance novels.

As she continued her reading, she found her eyes began to drop a little. It wasn't hard to fight back the sleep. For a few more hours.

12:00

Her eyes were beginning to rebel tougher. Blurs and smudges made her blink furiously as she kept on reading.

12:55

She let her eyelids drop for a few seconds before jumping awake again.

1:14

Inoue had put her book down to concentrate on rubbing her eyes till they were red and raw. It was easier for them to stay open when in pain.

1:45

Inoue vs. Inoue's eyelids continued. She had gotten up, even though her legs were also beginning to betray her, and brewed as much coffee as she could.

2:30

No more coffee. The female sat down next to her friend, staring wide eyed at nothing in particular.

3:00

Jogging didn't sound as bad as it usually did to the non-physical female. She began to move and exercise in place, letting the coffee beans run through her system.

4:15

Her veins had used up whatever was in the coffee. Now it was simply raw exercise.

5:00

Her legs buckled over as she was doing jumping jacks and she fell to the floor. Hard. She hit her head on the chair's leg. At least that kept her awake for awhile.

5:50

She curled up and began to think about a lot of things, keeping her mind as open as possible.

6:15

Winner: Inoue's eyelids.

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When she woke up, Orihime could feel the soft cottons of covers over her body. She mentally smiled, feeling her bed underneath her. The warm temperature made her drowsy and that's just how she liked it. Her fingers, which sat beside her, began to trace the memorized pattern of flowers and bubbles, which had been the theme of her bed for as long as she could remember. She gripped her soft covers and smiled, physically this time, at the familiar fluff. She almost giggled, feeling very light headed. She sniffed, smelling the familiar smell of baked eggs on her pillow.

…

Wait…she hated eggs.

Orihime's smile disappeared, but her soft look stayed. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the white spots that appeared in her vision. When she looked up, vision cleared, she saw a plain white ceiling. Much different then her wooden, planked ceiling. This wasn't her ceiling. Her eyes widened a little but the light from an unknown source made her close them again. She shifted in the bed, realizing the covers were white as well and the bed she was under was light blue, along with the pillow. This was not her bed.

She slowly began to rise from the furniture, very slowly, as she felt stiff as a board. Small cracking sounds could be heard as she stretched her back and legs and arms. She relaxed on the bed for another few seconds before, slowly again, threw her legs of the bed, kicking the covers off. Her feet met with cold wood and she shivered. This was her floor.

She lifted herself off and looked down. She was wearing the clothes from yesterday. Memories fell on her like a block of iron and, despite still being light headed, she opened the door to the room quickly and darted out. Her feet led her into a few walls but she managed to shake her dizziness and hear voices from the main room. Slowly, she opened the door and peered in. Rangiku and Ikkaku were eating some sort of soup and Hitsugaya sat himself near the rear window. He was looking over the book she was reading yesterday. The female opened the door fully and waked in. All three looked up in union. She smirked.

"Er, welcome back" she giggled.

"Inoue-chan!" Rangiku jumped from her seat and ran to her friend. "Had a good sleep?"

"Haha, yes I did, thank you" Inoue answered, stretching her body again. It didn't take long for her to realize she had really taken a decent sleep since her nightmares began.

"You better have" the short caption answered "it's 4:00 in the morning and we're on red alert right now"

Orihime was, first, shocked at the time it was right now, then at the second comment. "Red alert?"

"Apparently, the arrancar that attacked Yumichika was not just any Arrancar but an Espada" Ikkaku answered, placing his soup bowl on the table. Inoue held her breathe a little.

"D-Do you know which number?"

"Mmm, not sure, but based on description, we're pretty sure it was the 7th, Zommari Le Roux"

The orange haired female let her breathe slip. "Oh…"

"Which is very strange, because Byakuya-taichou has battled that very arrancar and confessed to his death. So he shouldn't be alive…"

Now it was getting serious.

"You mean," Inoue hesitated "he came back to life?"

"Precisely" Hitsugaya answered.

Well, it wasn't everyday you heard 'red alert' from an old fashioned shinigami.

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**Hm, longer chapter…But like I said, the fun will come soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hopefully I won't be forced to get into a complicated story**

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The 10th division caption wasn't kidding when he said 'red alert'.

When Orihime returned to her home, she had gotten a few text messages from Rukia, Renji and Ichigo giving a little more detail to the situation. Somehow, the Espadas, whom were presumed dead, where coming back to life. Juts last night, as Hitsugaya, Rangiku and Ikkaku went to hunt for the arrancar in the woods, another arrancar, Espada, had popped up close to the Kurosaki manor. What made Inoue gasp and stare at her cell phone's screen for three straight minutes was that the Espada that had visited Ichigo was the 6th. Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. She hadn't realized her grip on her cell till she breathed in and out to calm her self down and noticed the marks made by her grip. She knew this news would be the return of her nightmares. Especially since…he hadn't at least tried to look for her.

Inoue was commanded to stay at home, under an almost house arrest, in case the Espadas decided to try and kidnap her again. Matsumoto and Ikkaku were to be stationed at her home 24/7. Hitsugaya, as a taichou, was needed elsewhere. Yumichika was assigned to Keigo and Mizuiro who was sleeping over at Keigo's house till the alert was over, and Shuuhei to Tatsuki. Ichigo was to take care of his family. They weren't taking any chances now.

When she questioned about collage, Matsumoto answered her by saying that they would accompany Inoue everywhere, in each of her classes. Apparently, education wasn't an excuse.

Orihime only hoped no one would think of the shinigamis as stalkers…

Ishida rejected any invitation of being secured, though the 12th division was persistent, and Chad accepted the request of the 5th division's protection.

_At least everyone's ok_, Inoue thought, as she finished the last text message.

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So far, three weeks had passed since then. Inoue usually spent her time read and studying and doing a few experiments. But when she was alone in her room (which was rare but Ikkaku and Matsumoto were always close by), she would look out her window and wish for the thousandth time, that he would come to at least drop by for a small visit. She knew the shinigamis protecting her would attack him instantly, but she just couldn't help it.

She did hate him. But to see him one more time, she would give anything.

Orihime grimaced and curled herself, placing her hand on her chest.

Since the alert, she had gotten quiet sick over the past few days. Headaches, back aches, stomach aces, fevers, even heart attacks, you name it. It really wasn't odd. She knew this feeling. When she was still imprisoned in Hueco Mundo, the food that Ulquiorra gave her made her sick to her stomach. It wasn't even decent but she had given up her stubbornness when her stomach gave up on her. There had to be some kind of virus in that food because the next thing she knew, she was puking all over her 'room'. Ulquiorra was sourly pissed but did what he could to fix the food. How she felt right now was no different. She had begun to puke everywhere till Matsumoto enlisted at least five new trashcans all around Orihime's room, and a few more all over the apartment room, and the younger female was to ring a large bell she had gotten in case she need Rangiku for something.

And since her message about Ichigo's visitor, she had gotten even more nightmares about _him_. Again. Nightmares that lead to her aches and sicknesses. He was going to be the death of her. Literally.

This was a small ache so the female let it pass by. Her chest had begun to hurt just yesterday and it was almost difficult to breathe. They were simple heart attacks. So Inoue didn't feel the need to worry Rangiku any more then she already had.

When it did pass, she raised herself up again and, with a sorrowful and bored sigh, returning to reading her latest lesson in Trigonometry.

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It was right after dinner, as the three sat down to watch a late-night drama festival on T.V., when Inoue began to feel drowsy and sleepy. A curling pain erupted in her lower stomach and she almost toppled over as she sat with her head on Matsumoto's shoulder. She let a small groan escape her mouth as she leaned forward a little. Rangiku sensed that immediately.

"Inoue-chan?" she leaned forward too, looking down at her friend. Orihime had unconsciously screwed her eyes shut.

"I…It's nothing. I'll let it pass" the younger strained on her stomach muscles. But the pain didn't disappear. It only amounted to more to the point that even Ikkaku looked away from the screen look at the female in wonder.

"Oh no, not again!" Matsumoto tried to bend Orihime back but the collage student stayed in place, almost crying at the pain. Ikkaku sprung to his feet and scooped the skinny girl in his arms, letting her curl into herself as he rushed out into the hallway and ran into her room, dropping her on the bed. "Gently, baldy, gently!" the busty female came running in after him.

"I, er, panicked" he said, not looking away from the sweating Orihime.

"I'll get some wet towels, just tuck her in" Rangiku rushed out, leaving Ikkaku to cover Inoue in her soft, fluffed covers. She grabbed onto them, as tears formed around her eyelids form the pain. It was stronger then usual, but nothing a little rest and warmth couldn't fix.

In no time at all, Matsumoto has rushed back in a draped a warm, wet towel over Orihime's forehead. She pat it softly and bent up. "Now, shout if you need anything" she smiled. When Inoue nodded, the shinigamis left her, closing the lights and door sternly on the way out. She shuffled into her bed to get into a more comfortable position, still facing upward so as the towel didn't fall off her. She sighed softly and prayed that her nightmares wouldn't visit her again.

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"Miss me?' the husky voice said. Inoue perked but didn't move, still afraid of his voice. She heard the shuffling of his footsteps as he came closer to her. She could sense his body heat even before he wrapped his form around her clothed figure. She shivered. His arms wrapped themselves around her waist and his chin resting in her hair. She heard him sniff in her scent.

"You know, you always seem to smell a little bit like vanilla" he chuckled darkly. Even if she wanted to comment back, she couldn't. Her throat was locked. It always was before he had his way with her.

He picked her up bridal style and softly, mockingly, let her fall on the overly large, plain white bed she was forced to call her own. It didn't take long for him to get on top of her, eyes drilling holes in her forehead. He leaned in and sucked on the bottom of her chin. One of her weak spots that only he knew. She moaned a little. He went further down, nipping and adding red marks close to the fading nips he left not long before. He pulled her color down and continued his decent, pulling the fabric of her dress more, till he was forced to rip it as it was getting in the way of his journey. Orihime shivered, this time because of the cold hitting her bare skin. She knew what he wanted. And she would give it to him.

He finished his journey as he wrapped his mouth around her womanhood. She hissed, curving her back off the bed and trying to get more friction. He let his tongue run over her folds, getting them as wet as possible with his saliva and her own essence. She bit her lip till it bled but it was no use as the moans escaped easily. She tried to buckle her legs but he held them in place; right beside his head. She felt him grin against her clitoris. It made her grind her teeth in frustration and hatred.

Oh how she hated him.

Even as he gave her what she wanted. Her climax.

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The next morning, things got only worse.

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**Jeez, I'm terrible with cliff-hangers but that was supposed to be a cliff-hanger!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Odd to hear this from the authoress, but I'm pretty sure this is where the fun begins!**

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It was terrible. Simply terrible.

Not for the shinigamis. Merely fraccions and lower ranked Arrancars attack Karakura. Some were capture then killed and some, killed on spot. They had managed to get some information out of their enemies. The fraccions admitted they were simply there to gather information. Not believing them, they were sentenced to death on sight. Unfortunately, that very answer was repeated by each fraccion they captured. It become frustrating for the Society but nothing major had happened in two months.

What was terrible was centered on the closest healer in Karakura.

Orihime's pain never subsided, growing more intense each day. It had become so serious, Rangiku had called in the fukutaichou of the fourth division, Isane, to check Inoue out. It was as they feared, Isane reporting that a virus had been growing inside of Inoue's stomach and spread to the other parts of her body. That explained her aches weeks ago. She had also noted that the virus was now at a difficult stage to get rid off. However, Isane did leave some pills for Inoue to take, to subside the pain, till she got back to the fourth division and concocted the antidote. Till then, the orange haired female had to rely on small, white, spherical tablets to help her sleep.

Isane had left later, saying she would bring some 4th division members to Karakura as Orihime was the only healer in the area.

When Inoue heard the news, she cried her eyes out. Now she knew, felt, that she was useless. Again. Matsumoto mistook Inoue's tears as a sign of the pain and brought her a drink to gulp the tablets down.

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Her dreams, or nightmares; she wasn't sure anymore, of that man didn't help. They had become more vivid then ever, as if she was going through everything again. It was so sensual, she found herself pleasuring at the thoughts of her dreams, weeping afterwards and soaking her bed with her sweat, tears and come. Every morning, Matsumoto worried and ran around the house, getting fresh water, towels and tablets and spending all her time at home or right outside of Inoue's bedroom. Orihime giggled at Rangiku one time, noting her usually perfect wavy hair a little out placed and her makeup gone. But the shinigami women still pulled off being stunning.

Orihime's friends were contacted about her situation soon after Isane checked her. Once and awhile, when they got some alone time, they came by Inoue's house to check her out and bring books and sweets to entertain her. The younger female embraced their kindness, hoping it would be the cure for her nightmares and sicknesses. It wasn't. And her friends left more worried then ever.

She wished she could simply heal herself, but she knew her powers were very weak when she ill and now that she was as sick as ever, she didn't have the energy to concentrate on her powers, where it need her full undivided attention to work.

The collage student spent more time sleeping and crying then studying and doing anything else. She knew that when she got back to school, she would be surly behind and maybe even kicked out. She couldn't miss a lot of days, and everyone was running out of sickness excuse.

It wasn't like they could get a doctor's note from doctor's note from _another world_.

So Inoue had to coop with her studies and try and keep up. But when it became painful to even lift a book, she simply lay down and let her mind close up, painkillers from Isane kicking into make her fall asleep faster.

It was the first period in her lifetime that she was afraid of going to sleep. Her nightmares had begun to become frantic and she'd wake up more then once in the middle of the night.

Inoue knew she would go mad soon, because, a few weeks into her aches, she began to wish for him to come to her. To be beside her and to care for her. She even giggled at the thought. He was defiantly not that kind of guy. But still…

It wasn't like her friend's visits weren't enough. Their gifts were much loved and some even stayed for the whole day, doing their studies in her room should Inoue need anything. She was so thankful for her loved ones, though she hated the fact she wasn't on the battlefield, and yet felt sourly disgusted when she just wasn't really happy…

Only one person could do that.

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"You sure?"

"Absolutely"

"…really?"

"Yes"

"Do you need help?"

"No, thanks!"

"Are you sure?"

Inoue turned to her busty friend and gave her the most meaningful smile she could conjure. "Rangiku-san, I'll be just fine! I feel well, and it's about time I got up from that bed!"

It was half true. Inoue's will power to get up and go to school was what kept her illness down. If she lost that will, she knew she would fall into depression again. So the best thing she could do was take a bath, prepare her work, spread a smile and show everyone she could stand on her own two feet again. Matsumoto still worried over the younger female, asking her more questions then necessary, making Inoue more tired then she was. But she kept on going, knowing nothing was going to stop her from getting back to her work. Ikkaku had went and made her lunch and breakfast while Rangiku cleaned her clothes.

After thanking them, and finishing her plain blueberry waffle, she left for the day. It even to her will power to lift her bike and walk. Her muscles were rebelling, telling her she had to stay in bed. That she wasn't ready. Inoue forced those muscles down, even though they came back with vengeance, and continued her bike ride down the street, waving hello to everyone she passed by so as to keep her positive aura up.

Her friend's were defiantly happy to see her again though Tatsuki was more hesitant.

"You sure you should come back, Inoue?" she questioned, when she was alone with her friend.

"I'm just fine Tatsuki-san! Isane-san's painkillers did the trick" Orihime whispered the last part.

"Well, ok, but I'll be watching you" the tomboy said as she left for her class.

Inoue was quite confident for the rest of the day, convinced that getting out was all she really needed to fix her right up. Her muscles weren't contracting like they used to anymore and her headaches were subsided when she was thinking over math problems. Orihime was over-the-top excited for her next class. Gym kept the mind and body going and adrenaline was what fuelled her the whole day. She would have giggled in delight but didn't so people wouldn't look at her strange.

It was a rally race today. Perfect.

The collage student stood beside two classmates, in the middle of the starting line, and bent down, getting ready to push herself off the ground to get a good start. Tatsuki cheered her on in the sidelines as the teacher shouted the start.

"Ready…set…go!"

5 females sprinted from where they stood. Inoue used whatever will power she had left to keep her going past the starting point again and again. She would show her friends, especially Tatsuki, that she was fine enough even to run such long distances. She used to be the fastest girl, before Tatsuki, at her high school. In University, the competition mounted. Inoue used what competitive nature she had to push herself to the start of the females. Tatsuki was even amazed, watching her friend regain that spirit she kept a month ago. She smiled as she watched Orihime clear a curve perfectly, reaching to her last lap. Said female was also grinning, as she eyed the starting point. Now nothing hurt, nothing was getting in the way. After this, the female was so taking her friends out for ice cream!

And then, something brushed against her back and the grin disappeared as quickly as it was formed. Inoue could feel the crushing strength of reisitsu, the oh-so-familiar reisitsu, settling down on her like a blanket of darkness. Tatsuki herself felt it immediately after Orihime did and her eyes widened tremendously.

Instead of passing the line gracefully, Inoue tripped on her own two feet and toppled onto the starting line. All the aches and pains that she has pushed away returned, angry then every, sending her whole body aflame

The crushing reisitsu disappeared and the female let the darkness envelope her.

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**Please review when you're finished the story!**


	6. Chapter 6

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"This is my fault…" a familiar female voice sighed, voice drenched in worry.

Inoue woke up to a bright light from a cylinder lamp sitting beside her. She could smell the scent of a doctor's room and realized, strangely immediately, that she was in the nurse's office at her school. Unlike high school, the office was more hi-tech and larger. Only the best for University. Orihime tried to pull herself up but just the thought of it sent her into another whirlwind of pain. She groaned, loudly, and knitted her eyebrows together. She heard to gasps and a breeze hit her. The figures were standing quite close to her.

"Orihime?" it was Rangiku. The female looked up into the crystal blue eyes she envied so much.

"Rangiku-…san?"

"It's ok Inoue! I'm here!" the busty shinigami, defiantly in her gigai, knelt next to the younger female.

"What…?"

"You just fainted, is all!" Matsumoto entwined her fingers into the fingers of her prodigy. "You'll be better when we get home!"

"Matsumoto, you're bothering her to much" Ikkaku.

"I can worry as much as I want!" his fellow shinigami snapped back "besides, it was my fault for letting her go when she was obviously not ready!"

Inoue groaned again, but not from the pain. From the frustration that she was making her friend feel guilty.

"I should have known…" said University student answered. She managed to turn her head to Rangiku.

"Well…that's true" Ikkaku agreed, nodding his head. Inoue watched Rangiku hit him.

"It's no ones fault…" what a contradiction. "We're just going to get you home"

"What happened?"

"Apparently, we got a surprise visit from an old friend" a voice was heard from the door way. Looking, the three met with the leaned figure of Ichigo. He had his arms folded and his face set into a grim expression. "You ok, Inoue?"

The female hesitated but nodded slightly.

The boy walked in "It was Grimmjow" Inoue flinched at his name but no one noticed "he decided to pay me a visit at school. Was hell trying to get him out and even more hell-ish trying to calm everyone down"

"Is everyone alright?"

Ichigo nodded. "Thankfully, the bastard didn't cause that much damage and left soon after we started battling." He raised an eyebrow to his friend "but what happened with _you_?"

"Oh…um" actually, even Inoue wasn't sure why she had fallen so easily. She could use a simple excuse like she was more sick then she thought, but then she knew and felt that, that was half true. Maybe the familiar reisitsu caused a panic attack. She seemed more convinced on that. "I was…just weak. But I know I shouldn't have gone to school today" she looked at Rangiku "sorry for making you worry"

"Oh Hime-chan!" the busty shinigami hugged the younger female tightly, knocking the breath out of her.

"Matsumoto!" Ikkaku exclaimed.

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Orihime looked up from her soup and met with the eyes of an observant Matsumoto. The shinigami had made her a plain old tomato soup and put her to bed. But she insisted on sitting there till the female got better. Orihime sometimes has a nausea attack or headaches, then Rangiku would bring her painkillers from Isane, but nothing to fatale. All in all, Inoue was just tired.

"Rangiku-san?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask for a favour?"

"Uh, sure, Hime. What?"

"I'm not really getting far in my studies and at this rate, I'll probably drop out. I need something else to keep my mind off my sickness so I was…just wondering if I could…you know…um…" It sounded better when Inoue went through it in her head.

"What, Inoue?" Rangiku came a little closer to her friend.

"…could I, er, go to Soul Society?"

Silence.

"Why?"

"Um, so I could, you know, help out anyone with work to preoccupy myself…with…" she slowed her speech down, looking at her soup with shy eyes. It was a strange request after all. She hadn't been in Soul Society since she trained with Rukia before she was kidnapped. She doubted anyone really knew who she was, let alone trust her after thinking she betrayed them.

"Well, sure!" Matsumoto exclaimed, a smile growing on her face "that ain't such a bad idea!"

"Oh, really?" a wave of relief passed by Inoue.

"Ya, I'm sure there are a few squads that could defiantly use some extra hands with the missing captions and fukutaichous!" the shinigami said. "And we can hang out more!!"

Rangiku was so completely ecstatic about this that she rushed out quickly to tell Ikkaku.

Inoue was happy about the acceptance in a different way.

Soul Society.

_He_ wouldn't dare try and find her there.

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**Shorter chapter. But it was really just to open up the Soul Society scenes for Inoue.**


	7. Chapter 7

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Rangiku tossed the traditionally shinigami garment at Inoue, who caught it reluctantly.

"Just slip yourself into this and meet me outside" the busty female instructed and left Orihime to change.

As she did, Inoue couldn't help but smile. The last time she had worn this outfit was when she snuck into Soul Society with Ishida to save Rukia. It felt like it was a century ago. It could very well have been. Orihime wasn't sure about Soul Society's timeframe.

After she was done dressing, Inoue peeked outside before stepping into the hallway to meet with Rangiku.

"Aw you look so cute!!" Matsumoto squealed. Inoue swore she saw hearts around the shinigami. "I hope you don't mind getting to work immediately"

Orihime nodded.

"Awesome! I've got a few assignments for you from the 5th division. Momo is still a little weak so she could use the most help"

Inoue nodded again. She wasn't sure who Hinamori was. Just that she was Aizen's former fukutaichou and was traumatized by his departure. After the War, though, she had become stronger but still quiet shaken, especially after seeing him again during the War.

The human girl got to work quickly. She organized folders, signed permissions, sorted papers, made tea, cleaned up, washed instruments (when she was working for the 12th division) and even did laundry. She worked in record time, sweating but defiantly not tired. Though she was shocked that the divisions needed so much, she was happy there was a lot of stuff to keep her busy. She was doing such good work that the shinigamis left to take care of the divisions even took a break to let her do their jobs. Inoue didn't mind at all. Made her mission to distract herself all the more easier. They praised her though, and it only spiked her confidence more.

Unfortunately, it all came to an end when the day began to dull and the divisions sent Inoue away when she asked for work. She didn't want to sleep! She wanted to keep working. Orihime was quite depressed and a little frightened that _he_ might have followed her dreams to Soul Society.

However, Isane did call Orihime over for a moment. "Inoue-san, I know it's getting late, but could you do one more thing?"

"Of course!" the eagerness of the female was a little odd but needed.

Isane smiled. "Unohana-taichou has your assignment"

Orihime had heard about the 4th division's caption. Unohana Retsu was probably the most reliable, trustworthy, negotiable, logical and kind caption in Seritei. She was much loved by many, some not even from her division, and feared yet respected by the 11th division. And she was quite the healer. Inoue felt like that could be what connects them.

Unohana was sitting at her desk, sipping her green tea calmly. Her face was serene and soft, like a mother. She was quite beautiful and Inoue felt hesitant to meet her. But then, she needed her.

"Um…" Orihime's voice came out quiet but she needed to get the taichou's attention.

Unohana looked at her with a warm smile that made the female blush. "Hello Orihime Inoue. Please, come closer"

The human girl perked and walked over, like a robot Unohana controlled.

"First, it's a pleasure to meet you and thank you for agreeing to such a late night work"

Her politeness only made Orihime blush more. "Um…y-you're welcome!"

Retsu only kept her smile at the flustered female. She turned to the small pile of papers on her desk. Inoue's gaze followed her "could you please sort these out? I need to get something from the 7th division and it's so awfully late that I don't have time to retrieve my information and sort the paperwork"

"Oh, no problem. I've been sorting papers all day. It's a mystery how I don't have a paper cut yet" Inoue giggled, nervously, hoping a joke would be a relief. Unohana thankfully let out a small chuckle and with that, she got up and exited her office. Inoue watched her go, in only a short time understanding people's awe over the caption.

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Retsu didn't take that long, returning as soon as Inoue straightened the papers to put on her desk. She looked up as the caption came in/

"I'm finished!" Orihime exclaimed, placing the papers neatly on the large wooden desk.

"Thank you" the 4th caption thanked, "you can go now"

Inoue wavered "…are you sure?" her voice betrayed her want to stay awake.

Retsu's smile faded to surprise. "Well, it is late…" the caption had heard about how hard the female in front of her had been working and decided no one deserved a rest as much as her. "A good night's sleep helps everyone in every situation"

_Except mine…_

With a sad, but silent, sigh, Inoue jogged past the caption and out the door, having memorized the large campus of the divisions.

When she past Unohana, the kind caption couldn't help but note how the female ran. Orihime's back was sort of bent, her footsteps heavy, her breathing jagged. Unohana was struck by the surprising nature of the female.

No one ran like that unless…

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**Cut it into a small chapter too. Just to add the drama!**


	8. Chapter 8

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She shivered as he ripped her clothes off, piece by piece, slowly, teasingly. She could feel her panties getting wet then yanked from her body. Her breath hitched and she leaned back, arched from the bed as he cupped her breasts in his palm and played with her nipple. She felt them get hard under his touch and moan louder. He attached his mouth to her right nipple and pinched the other. She groaned. His hand left her right bosom to slid down and enter her woman hood. Orihime bit her lip till she tasted her blood and slung her arms around his neck. Spreading her legs with his knees, he plunged his fingers in and out, over and over, deeper and deeper. She wanted to clamp her legs but he just wouldn't let her.

"Impatient?"

She let out the best grumble she could muster in her ecstasy. He leaned up and ravished her mouth, letting his tongue into her cavern. He took in whatever taste he could get from her as he sucked on her smaller tongue. She let out another breathy moan past the kiss and felt his grin. He flipped her over, much to her surprise, and spread her legs. He pinched her hole and let the delicate semen pour out, licking it up hungrily. She shuddered and knelt closer to the bed, hearing him as he prepared to enter her.

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"Inoue-chan!" Matsumoto called. Orihime looked up from her sweeping to see her friend, Shuuhei, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Iba, Kira, Rukia and Renji.

"Oh hey!" she called back.

"We're going for a drink. Want to come along?"

"She's underage, Rangiku, how many times do I have to tell you that" Renji said.

"She ain't in Soul Society!"

"Well she ain't a shinigami! It' don't count!"

Inoue giggled. "No, thank you Rangiku-san! I've got work to do"

"That's all you ever _do_, do, Inoue-san" Hisagi shook his head.

"Yeah, take a break" Rukia agreed.

Recalling her dream, Orihime declined firmly. After some serious forceful convincing towards Rangiku, the group left for their breaks. Inoue didn't want them to pity her work and she didn't want to stop. She was still dreaming of him so she had to work even harder. But even she knew that maybe nothing was going to make her forget. He was, no, is embedded in her mind. He left his permanent mark and nothing she could do was going to change that. She felt like just breaking down and crying. She knew she was never going to see him again and hoped time would heal the wound. But she wasn't naïve.

"Orihime-san?" a voice broke the female's train of thought. Inoue looked over her shoulder at Unohana, who watched the female's movements. Orihime had unconsciously leaned back, and put her weight on her back leg. She also looking like she was having difficulty standing, in general.

"Unohana-san?"

Retsu smiled slightly at the female. "Good morning"

"Oh, good morning!"

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm very well thank you. You?"

"Very fine, as well"

The two females stood in silence. Unohana kept her eyes on Orihime while Inoue fidgeted on spot at the attention.

"Um…is there something I can do for you?"

Retsu looked at her, as if ripped from a trance. "Oh, no nothing, just that…"

Inoue raised at eyebrow at the weird behaviours of the caption.

"Just be careful" Unohana commented, turned around and walked off, leaving the confused Inoue in the hall.

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"I come home and you're not there" a pissed Hitsugaya begins "of course I'm going to panic!!"

"But taichou I sent you a message!"

"The message told me nothing about you _taking_ her to Soul Society! Without my permission, in any case!"

"Well" Matsumoto huffed "no one had a problem with it. She's been really helpful"

Hitsugaya rubbed his temples. His fukutaichou was really crazy most of the time.

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Hitsugaya-san" Orihime said, looking at the short taichou "I wanted to come to Soul Society. I…needed to get away"

Toshiro eyed the human girl, growing a little soft at her petit figure. "It doesn't matter now. Everyone's been called back. We haven't heard a word about the arrancars in 2 weeks"

Orihime was shocked at the amount of time she had spent in Soul Society but was also relived that the arrancars had probably left. This meant she could probably head back home…

"But be careful Inoue-san" Hitsugaya looked back at the female. "It could be dangerous. The best idea now is to send you back home with Rangiku and Ikkaku and keep you posted"

The female nodded in understanding. It was only for the best.

"Aw, and we didn't even get to go drinking" Matsumoto sulked.

"Good" Hitsugaya grumbled under his breath. Orihime smiled.

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"Well, It was fun while it lasted" Renji sighed, upset that he actually had to get back to work now.

"Thanks for helping out Inoue-san" Momo smiled, deciding to see the helper off. Orihime shook hands with her and the others as a polite goodbye.

"Thank you all for having me and giving me something to do!"

"The pleasure is ours" Kira shook her hand. "Those floors are as spotless as Ikkaku's head"

A few giggles erupted. Said bald shinigami just stared at his blonde friend.

"Well, I best be getting going" Inoue said. She was quite mournful of leaving her new found friends behind. She was glad though that she left some sort of impression on them.

Turning, she exited the large building, and walked past the campus of Seritei. She was about to reach the meeting spot Rangiku instructed when Isane came into her view. The female stopped and watched the other come to her.

"I heard you were leaving" the white haired women started.

Inoue nodded slightly.

Isane looked thoughtful at her. "If you don't mind, Unohana-taichou would like to speak with you before you leave"

This was surprising. But Orihime agreed and let the fukutaichou lead her back to the campus.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, why does Unohana-san want to see me?"

"She said she would like to test a few things with you" the women answered, not looking at the female. "I'm afraid that's all I know"

The human left it at that as they reached the familiar 4th division's office door. When they entered, Unohana was at her desk in the same position when Orihime came to do a chore for her.

"Taichou, you wanted her?"

Retsu looked up at the two females and smiled. "Thank you. Isane, could you leave me with Inoue-san"

The fukutaichou bowed and left the two.

"It's upsetting to see you go but it is for the best"

"Yes, everyone's been so kind to me that it _is_ hard to leave_" but I'd really like to get back home_ the female thought to herself.

Retsu nodded in understand and stood up. She approached the female and looked down on her, towering over Orihime. "If you don't mind, I've been observing you for awhile and I'd like to put my conscious to rest with this. Do you mind if I do a few tests on you?"

Orihime was hesitant. It wasn't like she didn't trust Unohana but tests always seemed to scare her. Of any kind. "Um, sure, but what is it that you have observed?"

"Just…something. I'm say for certain and I don't want to scare you with jumping to conclusions"

It seemed like a simple request…at the time.

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**K, next chapter is the surprise. Well, maybe not to the audience.**


	9. Chapter 9

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Inoue had counted the specks on her ceiling 5 times already. Each time it was different. She couldn't stand the sounds outside of her room. It reminded her that the world was still moving even when her world had stopped. Her eyes stared blankly at the first speck and started counting. It was pathetic but right then, it was the only thing she cared to do. She didn't want to study, didn't want to call her friends, didn't want to finish school, didn't want a future. What future? She had no future anymore.

Her hand ghosted above 'the spot' and rested there. She let more tears spill from her eyes and slip on to the pillow. She turned on to her side and cried silently. You'd think she would be dehydrated with crying for 2 hours.

The female sat in the darkness of her room since she got back from Soul Society and locked her door so no one could get in. Matsumoto was quiet exasperate over her actions but Ikkaku assured her that the female must just be feeling tired over her work in Soul Society. Inoue only wished it was that.

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"What do you mean I can't see her?" Tatsuki asked, quiet forcefully, towards Ikkaku. "After you shinigami work her to death, I can't even check on her?!"

"Hey, she wanted the extra work!"

"Not an excuse! You should have given her little work!"

"Then she would have been upset! K, now shut up!"

Tatsuki kicked him in the shin and dashed inside the apartment room as he toppled over in pain.

"Rangiku-san, you here?"

"Tatsuki?" the busty shinigami came out with a cup of juice in her hand.

"Hey! Good you're here. Is Inoue in her room?"

"Oh yeah but" the shinigami looked away "she isn't really feeling well and doesn't want to see anyone right now"

"Oh not you too!" Tatsuki frowned "I have the right to see her!"

"Yeah, I know that, but…"

Tatsuki pushed past the second shinigami and approached Orihime's room.

"Inoue?" she whispered, opening the door slightly.

"Who is it?"

"It's Arisawa"

"Don't!"

Tatsuki stopped in mid-opening of the door. She didn't peer inside in case Inoue freaked again.

"Are you ok?"

"Um, yes…"

"You don't sound ok. The shinigamis say you aren't feeling well"

"Yeah…I'm not"

"Well, I just came by to give you your books. You're pretty far behind"

"…I know"

Arisawa placed the second beige bag hanging from her shoulder on the floor. "Well, it's here when you want it"

"Thank you"

But Tatsuki didn't feel like leaving. She was really worried and wondered why her friend was acting the way she was.

"Why don't you want me to come in?"

"I…don't want you to catch anything!"

She was a bad liar. But Arisawa decided not to press. Orihime sounded quite final.

Only when she heard the resounding closing of her front door close shut did the orange haired female peek her head back out from under the covers. She sighed in sadness. She hoped she didn't hurt Tatsuki's feelings. That really wasn't what she needed now. Guilt. Unohana had told her to be careful of her mood swings and emotions. As if everything wasn't terrible already.

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Matsumoto decided to put her foot down this time. Inoue hadn't come out of her room since they got back from Seriritie and kept requesting for juice and a whole ton of meat. The busty shinigami was beginning to think her friend might be turning into a werewolf but decided to dismiss that theory after asking around and finding out no werewolves exist.

The busty shinigami practically barged into the collage student's room like an elephant. Rangiku made sure Ikkaku was out that day so she could have a woman to women chat with Inoue. Said female looked up in shock at the sudden intrusion and snapped out of it quickly as she hid herself under her thick covers.

"You have to come out sometime!"

"Rangiku-san, please leave"

"Not till I find out what's up with you!"

"It's nothing…"

"Doesn't sound like it"

Matsumoto walked over to the side of her friend's bed and tried to peer into the covers. But Orihime kept them locked down.

"Inoue-san, what are you hiding?"

With the strength of a shinigami that has trained for years, Matsumoto easily ripped the covers of the younger female.

"Now then what-" stopping in mid-sentence, Rangiku stared wide eyed at her prodigy. "Ori…hime?"

Said female broke down crying.

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Ikkaku unlocked the door to Orihime's apartment and sensing the quietness in the mini house, closed the door behind him silently. It really was awfully bleak, which was rare considering Matsumoto always made some kind of noise. The bald shinigami placed the bag of meat and juice on the couch and took of the scarf around his neck. It had become quite cold in the human world and the bald shinigami never stopped to question why.

"Rangiku, I'm back with the stuff" he called. No answer. Even odder.

He might as well check up on the human girl who had locked herself up in her room for a week now.

Ikkaku made his way passed the guest room where Matsumoto slept and pushed agains the creamy white door of his hostess. It creaked when he pushed it yet he could hear shuffling from inside.

"Orihime-san?"

"Ikkaku" that wasn't Inoue. Rangiku.

"What are you doing in her room, Matsumoto?"

There was no response from his fellow shinigami so of course the hot headed male got frustrated. He pushed open the door and met with the sight of Orihime, in her blue cotton nightdress, huddled in the protective arms of Matsumoto, who was rocking the younger female like she was a baby. They were both sprawled on the bed, hugging each other tightly. Rangiku looked up at the bald and glared, then indicated to him to be quite. Ikkaku stared in confusion at the scene in front of him.

"Um, what's going?"

Matsumoto looked back at Inoue, who's face was buried in the chest of the other. "Nothing"

He knew it wasn't really any of his business, and he wouldn't consider himself a close friend to Orihime, but secrets irritated Ikkaku to no end.

"Why can't I know?"

"Just because" Matsumoto went back to glaring at her fellow shinigami. She really was serious. Which made the baldy even more curious. He approached the women. Rangiku brought Inoue deeper into her body. "Ikkaku, get the hell out of here!"

Ikkaku glared back and sighed. When Rangiku was dead serious, she was _dead serious_. "Fine, but just so you know I got the stuff you wanted". When he left, Inoue raised her head to check the door.

"Don't worry" Matsumoto patted the head of her friend "I won't tell till you want to"

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**By now it should be obvious but if it isn't, then I'm doing a better job then I thought!**


	10. Chapter 10

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It had been 3 month since her return and Inoue's friends had finally had enough and decided to rebel together. She wasn't that far behind, surprisingly, in her studies, but far behind that they got worried. It was on the second day of the 4th month of Inoue's departure that they all met at her apartment and practically barged through the apartment's main office, up its stairs and, thanks to the fact that Tatsuki had her own key, into Orihime's apartment room. Ikkaku, who had been watching TV, looked up at the intrusion.

Ishida, Tatsuki, Rukia, Renji, Chad and Ichigo stared back at him with narrowed eyes.

"Give us back Orihime" was the only thing that came from the mouth of Rukia Kuchiki before the group stormed down the small hallway and knocked loudly at the locked door of Inoue's.

"Inoue, this is Tatsuki. Open this door and come back to school!" the tomboy spoke, loudly. The group grunt or agreed in response, indicating they were here too.

They got a surprise response from Rangiku, who burst out from Inoue's room and proceeded to jump on a tile on the floor, using it as a lever to send the nearest person, that being Tatsuki, upward, crashing through the roof. The other watched in shock and fear at their friend who was stuck up there, more then halfway.

"Honestly!! How rude could you get, barging in here and having the nerve to tell Inoue what to do!" Matsumoto shouted at Ichigo, who was the second closest to the door.

"But…it wasn't me!" Kurosaki pointed upwards. Matsumoto followed his point and was surprised to see a skirt peeping out from the hole in the ceiling.

"Huh?"

"Tatsuki" Ichigo answered.

"Oh jeez! Sorry Tatsuki-san!"

There was a muffled, obviously pissed, voice from the ceiling.

Chad coughed to end the awkward quietness. Rangiku had snapped out of her moment, just then, and glared at the group. "So, what _are_ you all doing here?"

Ishida snapped out of his shock to adjust his glasses. "I…we just wanted to check on Inoue-san. We _are_ her friends" he mocked "and deserve to be update on her situation."

The busty shinigami did not let up her angry aura but stopped her glaring. "Very well. I'll see if she wants you" with that, Rangiku closed and locked the door behind her.

They all looked at each other. "Why wouldn't Inoue want to see us?' Renji questioned, being the less closest to Orihime.

The door swung open, surprising the group again.

"You're in luck. She'll see you for awhile, but only if you stay close to the door and don't approach her"

"Why?" Ichigo asked.

"None of your business" Matsumoto turned and left the door open.

The group entered into the darkness of their friend's room. The female was lying on her bed, covering in her thick covers, only her head and a little of her upper body showing. She gave them a weak smile.

"Hey guys"

The group, more so then others, were over taken with a flood of emotions, seeing their friend again for over a month while she was in Soul Society.

"How are you feeling?' Rukia proceeded to say, being cautions of the invisible line Matsumoto created.

"I'm feeling well, thank you" Inoue responded.

"You sick or something?" Renji asked.

Orihime hesitated "um, you could say that"

"Why can't we come in?" Ishida asked. He needed to be more forward if no one else would be.

"She doesn't have to explain herself to you" the busty shinigami spoke up.

"Um, yes she does. She owes us an explanation"

"Nuh uh"

Ishida really did not feel like getting into an immature argument with Rangiku so he looked to Inoue, who was more huddled into her covers.

"I'm sorry to have worried you guys. I don't mean to. It's just that…something came up…and it's to complicated to explain"

"You know we're here for you, Orihime" the Quincy continued "nothing is too complicated"

Orihime herself knew this too well. But if only he knew…if only they all knew.

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Tatsuki was beyond pissed. Her so called friends had left her stuck in the ceiling and passed by her like she was nothing! They could have at least tried to get her down from up here. And when she did, she was certainly going to give that Rangiku a piece of her mind. In an attempt to get her self down, Arisawa grabbed onto the ledges of the ceiling and proceeded to pull upwards, hoping that she would slid right through the cracks. No use. Either she gained too much weight, or she was too tightly in. Tatsuki tried again and again to get her self out of her predicament. She was beginning to fear, if possible, that she was getting even more stuck and even deeper into the hole she had created.

And she was the one who had suggested to, planned to and wanted to see, Inoue the most.

It wasn't long before she heard the group that she had taken along with her plan pass by her, again, leaving Inoue's room. The tomboy was about to shout and swear at them to come back and help her till she began to feel her skirt riding up, making her slip. The female grabbed onto the ceiling tiles as she slid completely, and quickly, down the hole.

The female landed ungracefully, but regained her balance quickly. She also realized that her no good friends had really left her behind! They couldn't have seriously forgotten her! There was a gapping hole in the ceiling for God's sake!

She huffed in anger but decided to leave their punishment later. Right now, it was her turn to check on her friend.

Arisawa turned and pushed the door to Inoue's bedroom a little. Her intent was to walk in slowly but she stopped when she heard unfamiliar muffles in Inoue's room. The tomboy recognized it as crying. But she hadn't heard Inoue cry since she saw her getting beat up by bullies. And that was like a century ago. Arisawa was defiantly curious now. She pushed the door as quietly as she could.

Voices followed the muffles.

"She didn't even come to see me. Arisawa-san must be fed up with me" it was Orihime's voice. She was seriously crying, hiccupping more then usual. Tatsuki could see her at the edge of her bed, hunched over and hands in her face. Rangiku was close to her, sitting on the floor next to Inoue.

A pang of jealousy ran through the tomboy. She was strangely beginning to get really irritated by busty shinigami, whom was acting as if _she_ was Inoue's best friend.

"No she isn't. I'm sure. I think she did come…but I can't seem to remember anything after that…"

_You have got to be kidding me_, the even more pissed Tatsuki thought.

"I'm so disgusting" Inoue curled up in her secure body ball and continued to cry.

"No you are not!"

"Yes I am! For getting myself in this situation…"

"…who was it Inoue?"

_Who was who?_ Tatsuki thought. She squeezed her way passed the small creak in the door and got a little closer. She could clearly see her friend. But there was defiantly something different about Orihime,

Said female hiccupped and did not answer the shinigami's question.

"Inoue-san, why won't you answer me when I ask you?"

Cries. "I…I can't say…"

"Orihime…"

"You'll hate me! You will! I know!"

Tatsuki saw Matsumoto gasp. "No I wouldn't! I'm not mad now! Well…I am mad at whoever did this to you, but I'm not mad at you!! It was not your fault!"

"But it was! I let it happen!"

"So you knew this would happen to you"

Hesitation. "…not really…"

"Then there!" Matsumoto got a little quieter "tell me Orihime. I promise you I won't be mad"

Inoue looked like she was pondering what the busty female said. Tatsuki got a little closer to hear. But as a cliché moment, the tomboy got a little to close and her lower body, which has been outside the whole time, pushed the door, making it creak and grow. The two females jumped in surprise and looked over. Tatsuki crunched further to the floor and looked at them under her eyelashes. Orihime had uncurled herself and looked down at her friend, who watched Inoue's body unfold.

Arisawa gasped in shock. She straightened up immediately and looked at her friend.

"Inoue…-chan?"

Tatsuki was surprised to see her friend's figure had change dramatically. Inoue Orihime was curvier and her lower body had grown to an extent that the tomboy was worried her friend had eaten too much. Orihime's face was paler then paper except for the obvious dark bags under her eyes. In the dark of the room, it would be hard to see them in you weren't up close. Also, she was sweating quite a bit and Tatsuki could now easily see the tremors in her friend's body.

"What's…"

"What are you doing here!?" Rangiku exclaimed, jumping to her feet and narrowing her eyes at the intruder.

"I…was just checking on Inoue…" the tomboy's eyes were stuck on her friend, who did not retreat back to her covers and just looked at her friend with a tear stained face. "What the hell is wrong with her?"

Rangiku began to approach the university student with the intent of kicking her out when Inoue spoke up.

"Matsumoto-san…" Even her voice was strange. "You can…say…"

"You sure…?" the busty shinigami looked at her friend in worry. Orihime nodded in response.

Tatsuki had, had enough. She rushed to her best friend's side and hugged Inoue tightly. Orihime tensed up from the forward action and Arisawa could practically feel her friend's weak reisitsu.

"Oh Orihime" now _she_ felt like she was going to cry.

"Tatsuki-chan…" Inoue began.

"You don't have to say anything!" Arisawa interrupted. "You don't have to explain anything, Hime. You're here now, and that's all I need."

"Arisawa…-san"

"I'll never let you go!" Tatsuki squeezed her friend more. "Never! I'll never let you let me go! I promise to be here Inoue!"

"Arisawa-san" Orihime actually ripped herself from her friend's grasp. She gave her friend a serious look. But Tatsuki was not affected.

"Orihime…" Arisawa wanted to get closer to her friend but Inoue back away. "Oh Inoue. Please…don't leave me again…don't leave-!"

"Tatsuki-san, I'm pregnant!"

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**Terrible cliff-hanger but ya!**


	11. Chapter 11

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It hadn't been too long since Tatsuki had known. And truthfully, it was a relief for Orihime. Now she had two people to help with her secret.

Yes, it had been an emotional and physical shock to her body when she found out. That day Unohana had called her. Before she had left.

Hell was the only way to describe the next few weeks. Inoue had become weaker then when she was sick, and passed out randomly. It was terrible when she was the only one who knew of her secret and passed out alone. She was beyond scared and terrified that she cried out of fear. But she was even more scared that her friends would find out. She couldn't imagine the problems _that_ would cause. But hiding her secret also had them worried and she hated the fact that she got them worried as much as how they would react to her news. Telling Rangiku was a relief but only for awhile. She loved the shinigami but she didn't make Inoue feel any better over the next days.

It wasn't till her best friend Tatsuki found out did Orihime feel even safer. Now she could go and come from Soul Society for her checkups with Unohana while Tatsuki covered for her.

Orihime's visits to the fourth division caption were calm and almost fun. She always got into conversations and debates with her, about petty things like what to put on food and what's going on in Soul Society and such. Sometimes, Inoue couldn't help but move the subjects to arrancars, when Unohana would answer that nothing has been found. Then relief and worry would wash over the orange haired female at the same time, making her sick to her stomach.

Speaking of which, her lower body _had_ become quite large that she was embarrassed to leave her room or go anywhere. Making her room become very stuffy.

The one question that lingered in the minds of those who knew was obviously and without a doubt "who did this to you?"

Grimmjow.

Orihime wished she could answer them but what would they have thought? It was obvious she couldn't lie. She did sleep with the arrancar she hated and loved the most. And he was an _arrancar_. A deadly enemy who had killed countless shinigamis after he regenerated his wounds from his battle with Ichigo.

They would never accept Orihime if they knew…

But then again, she hadn't seen him since then. And that was a good four years ago.

Still…if they were suspicious, they were not off the mark. Inoue wanted to see him again. She wanted him with her through this stage. She knew the life inside of her was his. She was no whore. He needed to be here because it was his fault too. He put whatever was inside of her in there. He should take responsibility. She kept repeating that over and over in her head but it was no use. All the blame was defiantly directed to her. She could use the excuse that she was not strong enough to fight back when he came to her room on those familiar nights. But really, who was she fooling herself. Even in her dreams, she gave herself to him so easily. And her dreams had been no help at all in her condition.

He was the last secret trapped inside of her. And she planned to keep that secret just the way it is.

"I'm sure you know what I will be asking." Retsu said, looking down at the lying Orihime. Yes, she did. "Do you want to keep the child?"

It was the second question that the three women who knew wondered. Even Orihime questioned if she really was going to keep the life inside of her.

"…I actually think I will keep…it…" it was normal to be hesitant.

"Are you sure?" and it was normal that Retsu would give her a second chance.

"Yes, I'm sure" it wasn't normal, though, that she didn't hesitate the second time. "I know it's wrong. And I…feel terribly disgust. But…" but what? "But I don't want to take away a life just because mine failed."

It was silent after that. Unohana had left the girl to rest a little. Something about her office was soothing to the orange haired female.

It was the nights that she stayed in that office when she didn't have her nightmares.

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Grimmjow Jeagerjaques looked up at the clear white crescent moon that illuminated a fake light through out the desert land of Hueco Mundo. It's shining pissed him off to no end. This was such a bleak land. It didn't deserve light of any kind. Light led to happiness. And there was nothing happy about this wasteland. Not since there hasn't been anything to play with. This put the kitty arrancar in a very bad mood.

"Grimmjow"

Fan-fucking-tastic.

"What do you want, prick?"

Tousen ignored the nickname, as usual. "Aizen-sama requests for you"

The sexta snorted. "What does prick #2 want? Setting up yet another failed attempt at gaining the King's Key?"

"The War was part of his plan" the dark skinned man hated repeating something but he could not shake of the anger of Grimmjow insulting the defeat of the arrancars in the War 4 years ago.

"_Suuuuuure_ it was" sarcasm was a petty thing.

"Come. Now." With that, Tousen flash stepped away before hearing Grimmjow's remark.

_Part of his plan? Ya right. Bastard just doesn't want to admit he was wrong_ the kitty Espada thought, with a cruel grin. Honestly, not even messing with the weaker arrancar was any fun anymore.

He knew she was to blame.

His plaything.

She ran away. Too bad really.

He would never admit it, but the Sexta really did miss the bitch and her whining. Guess that's what he got for fucking a virgin. But she was fun to scare her. And when they did have some bed time, she took anything he gave her. Rough, soft (rare) or somewhere in the middle, it didn't matter. Her sounds were like a drug and the only time her clinginess was needed was when she clung to his neck when the pace increased. He wouldn't admit he missed the innocent way she looked at him when he came into her room. He wouldn't admit he missed her useless attempts at pillow talks. He wouldn't admit he missed her small, frail body against his buff, rough frame.

He would admit he missed the fucking in general.

Grimmjow stretched himself across the sand and with a swift, graceful movement, got to his feet without his arms. He straightened up and looked at the shining moon up above.

Aizen bastard should be used to him being late for meetings by now.

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**Finally brought the second guilty party into the story! They will meet.**


	12. Chapter 12

**To answer one of my reviewers, how she got pregnant after 4 year: Grimmjow ain't human ;) The process of his sperm takes longer to reach her egg, her body not expecting sex from someone basically dead.**

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Tatsuki cut a piece off of the large chicken and put it to Inoue's mouth. Said female took the piece off the fork and chewed with renounced strength.

"Ah, there. Now you look better than before" Tatsuki chuckled. Orihime _felt_ better. With the help of Tatsuki's forceful nature, the orange haired female was able to eat better and rest longer with Tatsuki helping her with her homework so she wouldn't be left behind. Her future was going to be ruined over Tatsuki's dead body.

Inoue leaned back into her pillow. She had gotten heavier other the past month and it was obviously due to the huge lump in her stomach. She thanked her body for not putting the stress of her period along with her pregnancy. Based on her last period, the female had three months left to go. Inoue wondered how the University dealt with pregnant students. But she didn't feel comfortable in telling them. They would question, though, if she stopped coming all of a sudden. Sick notes would no longer be an excuse.

That day came on the fifth day of her second last month.

A knock erupted from the front door. Rangiku dropped the cheese shredder, washed her hands and went to answer the door. A tall man, with a beard, no hair, glasses and in a suit greeted her with an expressionless face.

"Rangiku Matsumoto, I presume?"

"Um, yes. Who are you?"

"I am Mr. Tsuchi, the head of the Karakura University"

Oh shit.

"Oh. What brings you here, sir?" Matsumoto tried for a lopsided smile. It didn't fool the principle.

"I have come with the concern of own of our students. Ms. Inoue Orihime has not shown up in quite some time and I have the right to investigate the matter at hand."

"I believe I did mention that she has not been feeling well"

"For this long? I doubt it. And so does the board. Now please, lead me to Ms. Inoue"

Someone was sassy. Rangiku rejected sassiness. But for Inoue's sake, she swallowed her pride.

"Very well" Rangiku stepped aside, letting the professor in, and closed the door behind him. Ikkaku, who had been sitting on the couch, looked up.

"And who are you?" Mr. Tsuchi asked, eyeing the bald male.

"My brother" Matsumoto answered, before Ikkaku could say anything. Said shinigami mentally shrugged and went back to watching the T.V.

"Please wait here, Mr. Tsuchi. I shall inform Inoue of your presence. Unfortunately, she is too weak to leave her bed so I shall return and escort you to her room"

Ikkaku snickered, listening Rangiku use such old and polite words. It was the opposite of her personality.

"Will do" the professor nodded. Rangiku shot him a sparkling smile and left the two males.

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This. Was. Bad.

It took a good 2 minutes to get from the living room to Inoue's room and in that time, there wasn't much to think about.

Unless you were in this position.

Then you would be going through a lot of possibilities. And freaking out. You would defiantly be freaking out.

Matsumoto opened the door to her friend's room quite suddenly and closed it with a loud sound. Orihime, who had been reading her textbook, looked up in surprise.

"Orihime, bad news" Rangiku shuffled over to her friend's side and bent down. "Yer principle's here!"

Inoue gasped, almost dropping her book. "What does he want!?"

"Me thinks he's getting suspicious about yer...uh, situation"

"Oh no!"

"Don't worry!" Rangiku smirked. "I have a plan! Just follow my lead"

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Mr. Tsuchi took the time to observe his student's environment. So far so good. It was neat and tidy except for the few dust balls here and there and the smell of something odd coming from the kitchen. The man on the couch was watching some football, the whistle from the couch echoing through the small space.

At least the male wasn't watching what you typically would find an old looking man watching.

Mr. Tsuchi decided to look around the kitchen. The odd smell was intriguing. A steaming pot sat itself on the stove, steam rising from its top. Coming closer, the principle inspected the inside of the pot. Lumps of something yellow and brown were boiling to the surface of a greenish liquid. The smell was intensifying as well to a sour-spicy sense that almost burned off his nose hairs.

The principle stood back and twisted his face in disgust. But his back had bumped into something soft and he turned around only to come face to face with Matsumoto's giant chest and her brimming face.

"Checking something out?" she questioned.

"Oh, um, n-no" Mr. Tsuchi straightened his tie and coughed a little. "Is Ms. Inoue ready to see me?"

"Oh yes! Please follow me!" Rangiku turned, almost knocking the male of his feet with her chest and stalked out of the kitchen. Regaining his balance, he followed.

But just as they reached Inoue's room, a low, rumbling sound erupted. Mr. Tsuchi stopped.

"What was that?"

When she turned to face him, Matsumoto had an unreadable face. "Gas"

"Excuse me?"

"It's been bad but, yeah, she's had gas problems for awhile now"

Another rumble came out.

"Sorry..." said a small voice. Orihime.

"Right, I should go get some face masks" Rangiku was about to push past the professor.

"Uh, why?"

"Didn't I just tell you? It's _baaaaaaad_. I mean _really bad_"

"Jeez, not again, Hime!" Ikkaku called from the room. Matsumoto smiled, glad that her friend was getting into it, too. He wasn't as slow as some might think. "Rangiku, you made sure the room was filled with sponges to keep the smell in right?"

"Well duh!" Rangiku called back. "Hey Ikkaku, do we still have those gas masks from the police station!?"

"Police station?" the professor said, knowing he should just shut up.

"Oh yeah, they have the most protective gas masks there! It's amazing, it's like the smell just passes through you! So much better than the plastic bags we had to throw out"

The principle decided to stay quite.

"Know why?" Matsumoto smiled, sinfully. "They got burned by the smell"

Mr. Tsuchi flinched.

"Is he coming in?" the voice of Inoue broke through the moment.

"Yeah!" the busty secret shinigamis answered.

"Hey, got your masks" Ikkaku approached the two in front of Inoue's doorway, carrying two metal mask large enough to cover the face. Mr. Tsuchi raised both eyebrows at the standard masks and even Rangiku did, surprised that Ikkaku could make fake masks out of tin foil in plastic containers so quickly.

Another grumbled erupted.

Madarame's eyes widened and he quickly handed Rangiku the two masks and darted back to the living room.

After all this was over, not only was Rangiku going to make Ikkaku his favourite fish dish, but she was going to have to get some kind of medal to award the male shinigamis for his amazing acting.

The professor, however, was getting more frightened by the minute. If his student's, er, gas problem could make a grown, muscular man like Rangiku's 'brother' scared, then Mr. Tsuchi wasn't sure how he was going to coop.

"Now, here, put 'em on and we can get going in!"Matsumoto proceeded to latch one mask onto her face and gave the other to the principle.

No way.

"Um, actually, that will be alright. I can see just fine now that Ms. Inoue is in no condition to be seeing anyone. And you seem to be handling everything well here, so I suppose I should be taking my leave now"

Gotta hand it to this guy, he sure knew how to stay calm in such hilarious, if not frightening, situations.

The busty female fake sighed and took the mask off. "Very well then. Let me lead you out"

When Mr. Tsuchi was gone and the door was securely locked, Rangiku and Ikkaku high fived and gave a small cheer.

"And who said shinigamis can't act?"

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"Inoue?" Rangiku peeked into the room and fund her friend curled up in the ball, head concealed by her arms and hair. Matsumoto blinked a few times in confusion and made her way to the side of Inoue's bed. "Hime? You ok?"

Mumbling could be heard by the hidden princess.

Rangiku came a little closer. "Hm?" she began to pry the arms of Inoue so she could see the college students face which was a little red and sort of puffy. "Are you crying?"

Inoue didn't answer, just stared at her friend.

Matsumoto understood. She encircled her arms around the younger's shoulders and knelt in. "Listen, Hime, I know you don't like to lie and but was simply safety precaution. It won't always be like this and the bastard principle should have at least called first. So don't feel guilty about anything"

Inoue sniffed and wiped her nose. "Th-thank you, Rangiku-san, but that isn't really why I'm upset"

Matsumoto looked at her friend in confusion.

"It's just...I can't..."

The shinigamis knelt in "yeah"

"I just...can't believe I let...let you talk me into doing...that!" Inoue hid her head in her arms again.

Matsumoto blinked a couple of times before bursting out laughing in realization.

"But it worked right! I told you if you pushed your chair across tile floors it creates some kind of farting noise*! I saw it on a show!"

(* it's true! Try it!)

"It was soooooo embarrassing!" Orihime cried.

Matsumoto just kept on laughing, toppling over.

Her friend was just so stinkin' cute!

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**Finally I have an excuse to right some humour! Yes, I hope I nailed it!**


	13. Chapter 13

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Grimmjow had done the best he could masking his reisitsu. But those bloody Shinigamis, though a small number, had still sensed him and were on him faster then the time it took him to get to Karakura. He had to fight them all off but they had gotten pretty strong since the War so he was banged up pretty bad and retreated to the alleys of the town. He knew they were after him and more would follow suit but really, he didn't even have time to fight!

At this rate, finding his woman was going to be harder then he thought.

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Orihime sighed. Her house felt so empty without anyone. Maybe she was just so used to having people around. She slowly got up from the couch, her stomach feeling like a heavy bag, and slowly waddled over to the kitchen to get some juice. Her shinigami friends had been sent off to check out a disturbance in the middle of Karakura town. And now the princess was alone. And bored.

Looking down at herself, she thought, strangely, that she would be an interesting observation. Her stomach wasn't as large as most soon-to-be-mothers at this time of pregnancy. It was like a strange lump in a road. It didn't seem as serious though it felt like it. Especially since she was really slow in walking when her stomach didn't look like it was meant to make her back bend.

She sat herself back down and sipped her drink slowly. It was a juice Unohana Retsu had conducted just for her that matched her blood type and her physical attributes. It was like painkillers in liquid form and way healthier. Orihime really loved the taste of it. It was warm and soft like milk with a buttery aftertaste.

With a smile, Inoue took another gulp.

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"Bloody jackass" Matsumoto raised her sleeve to her nose and covered it. The stench of blood was basically everywhere, indicating the arrancar had defiantly lost a lot of blood. Which meant it might not have gotten far.

Ignoring the scent, Hitsugaya descended down the alleyway, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Rangiku following suite. There was an obvious blood trail leading from one side of the city to the other, but the blood splotches were practically everywhere.

"Wonder what the hell the guy was doing" Ikkaku murmured, looking at the redden walls.

"Well you wouldn't be so graceful too if you had a good 30 swords slashed into you" Yumichika answered, flipping his hair and twisting his face in disgust over the smell.

The group continued the trail, considering the arrancar didn't look like he had a destination.

"Hm?" Hitsugaya stopped immediately, the others following. The blood trail had ended abruptly. They looked around but not even the walls were tinted in red.

"Where did he go?" Ikkaku scratched his head.

"Did he die?" Rangiku followed.

"We would have sensed it"

"Then it must have gone somewhere" Hitsugaya looked up, searching the clear blue sky for any sign of reisitsu. "He didn't go up"

"Did he enter a home?" Matsumoto wondered, her eyes wide with realization.

Her taicho grimaced. "Again, we would have sensed him"

"Must have gone back to his world" Ikkaku whispered.

"Fucker" Yumichika murmured.

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_Right back at ya, shittygami_ Grimmjow cackled in his head. He pressed his back further into the wall of an old building, till the group of shinigamis passed without a single glance. Grimmjow snickered.

Thankfully, Prick numero uno, Aizen, had actually created something useful in the heat of battle. Or when you're running away. The sexta joined his index finger and thumb together, and watched as something purple began to glow between the two hand parts. Then, the familiar spherical orb formed once again, its purple glow still radiating, then, like he turned off a switch, its shine died.

_Ocultado_ (it means 'hidden' in Spanish) is what Aizen called the small object with immense power. And the name was fitting, seeing as it can mask the spiritual energy of even the 1st Espada. The sexta had to admit, he was curious about what other toys Aizen was cooking up for them.

Grimmjow smirked as the reisitsu of the shinigami disappeared.

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Orihime twirled the cord around her index finger. "Ok…will you take long?"

"No, of course not!" Rangiku answered playfully back. "but it is important for us to scout the area"

"How dangerous was this problem?"

"Real dangerous. It was an Espada"

Inoue's breath hitched and she stopped playing with the cord. Lately, with Tatsuki around, Orihime was able to take her mind of the father of her child for awhile. Even her nightmarish dreams had sub-sided and she wasn't bothered by him much anymore. But still, she kept her pathetic hope that he would come for her. That hope was no were near as strong as common sense.

She got over the news quickly and returned to her worried state over her friends.

"Will you have to fight?"

"No, well maybe. Depends on how and when we find the target"

"Okay. Be careful"

"We will!"

Inoue first heard the resounding click of the phone on the other end before closing her own. She wasn't sure what to do now in the quite apartment room. Her friends would probably be out all night if they had to. With a sigh, the orange haired female got herself another cup of Unohana's medicine and went into her room to start on her new homework.

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Ulquiorra looked across form himself at the empty seat. It didn't show on his face, but the Espada was royally annoyed. Where the hell was Grimmjow? He kept skipping meetings a lot but lately, they've become more serious. He _had_ to be here.

"I see yet again we are missing one" Aizen commented, sipping his tea and closing his eyes.

Nnoitra snickered, hoping Aizen would punish Grimmjow this time.

"Does anyone have any idea where Grimmjow keeps running off to?" their Lord questioned. The Espadas kept to themselves. Yammi looked around at the others. Everyone was silent.

Except for Gin.

He chuckled.

"Is there something humours you would like to share with us, Gin?" Aizen commented, not looking at his fellow former shinigami. The fox man just stretched his smile more.

"Oh nothing, really. Just that I'm surprise no one knew"

The room was silent.

"Of what?" Tousen questioned.

"Of Grimmjow's biggest scandal!"

Now everyone turned to Gin.

Ichimaru chuckled again. He covered his mouth with his sleeve. "Oh, and here I promised not to say a word"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes. He, too, knew of the scandal. Yet he stayed silent because by the time Aizen returned, the human girl was gone.

"Oh" Aizen smirked, sipping his tea. "Well, I suppose it is to be expected of Grimmjow. If anyone sees him, send him to me afterwards"

The other Espadas were surprised that Aizen would change the subject so quickly. A scandal could be serious. Especially over Grimmjow. Ulquiorra showed his surprise by opening his eyes quickly and looking at his Lord.

"Let's get back to the meeting shall we" the brunette smirked.

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Inoue sunk into her bath tub even more, letting the warm liquid engulf her entire body except for her head. She sighed in content and smiled as she watched the fumes of hot water lift up in the air and form droplets of water on her tiles walls. They weren't high enough to reach the ceiling. She was a perceptive person and adored her curiosity over precipitations. She giggled, the heated room making her swing-not literally, of course-on Cloud 9, and watched as the Fume Fairies danced around her. When she had been 8, taking bathes with her brother was what she always looked forward too. Especially when he told her stories about how she was a secret princess and the Fume Fairies were her water secret soul mates.

Now she knew better. But Orihime still loved to dance with them.

As she finished and let the water sink back into the drain, she imagined deeply that not only was the liquid disappeared but so were her nightmares and hopes of the return of her lover.

If he ever did come back, she would defiantly not be affected in any way. Maybe she'd pissed, but that's about it.

Orihime dried her hair with her wet towel all the way to her room. As she closed the door to her bedroom, a draft made the towel around her body flutter. With a surprised look, she looked up and saw her window open. The yellowish curtains were fluttering in the wind. She narrowed her eyes in confusion and walked over to seal the window shut. Strange.

With a 'hmph' she turned and reached for the towel on her head intending on pulling it off and shoving it on her bed. She looked up. And instead of a pull, the towel fell on its own accord. But Inoue didn't seem to notice. No. Her eyes were set on one thing.

And it was the lean figure of Grimmjow Jeagerjaques.

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**Yay, I love making cliffhangers!!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for the reviews everyone! I totally feel so encouraged!**

**By the way, I'm planning on a new GrimmHime fic that's already 7 chapters in so look for that after this story is completed!!**

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So…what was that about being pissed? Orihime couldn't remember. Currently, she was just making sure she wasn't dreaming up the image in front of her. Her hysterical era over him wasn't so bad to the point that she saw his mirage here and there. Maybe her head was still full of the deceitful Fume Fairies creating the illusion in her eyes. Maybe she was dreaming and she would wake up. Maybe the figure in front of her was really someone else and their stance, look and aura just so happens to be the exact same as Grimmjows. Maybe…

"Missed me?" he spoke, grinning like a mad man. Inoue's breath hitched and she held it. That smile had haunted her thoughts and nightmares for 4 months. Seeing it again, she felt like she was going to faint.

"Ya look skinnier then I remember" he noted, looking at her arms and legs. "But what happened to yer stomach, eh?" he raised an eyebrow at her upper body "eat to much or somethin', hon?

She cringed at 'hon'. He never called her that unless she was in trouble or he was playing his mind-fucking games with her. Either way, they resulted in the same thing.

Inoue hadn't said anything at all as he looked her up and down. Back then, she would have giggled, thinking he was sort of checking her out. Now, she was horrified at the fact that his eyes were undressing her. And really, what could you say to your tormentor? To the man who ruined your life for a good few months. Who hadn't even visited her or sent any message. If he _were_ going to break up with her, at least, she knew, he would be man enough to tell it to her face.

But no. Nothing.

"Cat got your tongue?" Grimmjow cackled at his own joke, again bringing back memories of her own taunting on his release form being a cat.

Anger boiled up in her. He _shouldn't_ be here. If the shinigamis find him, talking so casually to her, she feared for her secret to be out. She needed to say something. Anything!

Not like he gave her the chance anyways.

With a graceful, dangerous flick of the body, he was off her bed and in front of her in a second. "Don't be so hesitant, babe"

She was petrified on spot. He stood so close to her she could smell the usual scent of blood and dirt on him. That scent was almost intoxicating to her.

He kneeled closer, a little conscious of her inactiveness, and placed his lips on her jaw line. He bit in. She muffled a sound of any kind. Inoue didn't trust herself around him at all. But Grimmjow wasn't annoyed at her lack of reaction. This always happened when she was mad at him. And, he had to admit, she had the right to be. But emotions hardly got in the way of animal instinct. He lowered his mouth more and bit into the soft, creamy flesh of her neck that he missed so much. Orihime muffled her voice again and reached up to grab the arm that had been making its way to her elbow.

"Mmm…no" she whined, her voice coming out squeaky. Well, it was a start.

Grimmjow grinned between his bits and began to become a little more forward. He grabbed onto her elbow tightly and had her pulled against his rough body. She shook in fright at his massive form. He kissed her neck, and made as many love bites as he felt needed, traveling around her neck. Inoue tried to resist. She really did. She promised herself this wouldn't happen next time she saw him. She wanted to hurt him. Not give herself up so easily. But her mind and common sense weren't really with her right then.

She was so lost in her conscious, she didn't realize he had already moved them to her bed and leaned down on her, arms around her waist and mouth descending past her neckline. The shirt stretched and she heard a rip as he pushed past her bra and licked his tongue on her perked nipple. Her breath hitched again and she bit her lip to hide a moan. But she was no good at it.

Her shirt and bra were lost quite quickly, knowing how impatient the male was with clothing. She shivered, even though their was not a single breeze, and couldn't help but arch her back at the squeeze of her breasts.

"These haven't lost their charm" Grimmjow commented, his shit-eating smile still in place. He descended on one nipple again, while his fingers fiddled with the other. Orihime's breathing began to jag as she lost herself in old memories and new desires. This was so _not_ part of the plan.

His head dipped in between her breasts and flicked one of her oh-so sensitive parts. Unconsciously, she wrapped her skinny arms around his neck, forcing his tongue deeper into her caverns. Grimmjow almost chuckled at her reaction, finally expecting some action. He slipped past her arms and slipped his tongue down to her navel and back up, kissing her again roughly. His saliva caused her heated body to cool a little and this time she really shivered. Somehow, Grimmjow managed to slip past their tightly wounded bodies to rub against her clitoris, causing delicious friction.

And a reality check.

In one jerk, Inoue detached from Grimmjow's lips and head butted him by accident, resulting in him unhanding her, falling back and letting out a string of curse words. When he looked back up, furry in his eyes, he saw his woman huddled up in a ball, her hands in between her legs and her flushed face still permanent. She looked back with her large, shimmering grey eyes he loved to stare at so much.

"What the hell!?" he shouted. Inoue was thankful her shinigami friend weren't around cause Grimmjow's voice should have woken up the neighbourhood.

Speaking of her friends, where were they? Shouldn't they have sensed Grimmjow?

Said male slammed the still cowering female to the headboard.

"The fuck you doin, bitch? Having second thoughts now?!" he was sourly pissed. It was these kinds of outburst that only come when he was sexually frustrated. He tightened his grip on her arm and she winced in pain.

"Gr-Grimmjow…" she stuttered, clenching her teeth. She really wasn't sure how to break it to him.

"Just relax" he growled, before descending back onto her lips. His tongue ravished her caverns, taking in her sweet taste of vanilla. She always smelled a little like that flavour every time.

But the human girl pushed against his chest and he let her go once again, more frustrated then before.

"Grimmjow, I have to tell you something…" she couldn't meet his eyes and her voice was quite but it got through to him. He softened up a little, hearing her tone, but was still quite irritate and whatever the news was, it better be important or he swore he would rape her if he had too.

Leaning on his arms, he questioned. "What is it?"

Now was the moment of truth. Literally. She had to tell him right here and now and face his decision head on. She had to admit, though, she was quite frightened. Would he kill her along with the baby? He was no family guy, that's for sure and a baby would only get him in trouble with Aizen. As much as he hated the guy, he knew his boundaries. And it wasn't like Grimmjow loved her or anything. She could tell that easily. Inoue felt sweat seeping from her skin and damping her shirt.

The clock beside her bedside ticked away. Grimmjow was getting impatient. His face twisted in a scowl.

"Get on with it! It ain't like I got all the time in the world!" he snapped.

Instead of cringe at his rough voice, tears flowed freely down the female's cheek. She wouldn't meet his eyes but against the light of the moon outside, the liquid reflected. Her eyes were shimmering. Grimmjow was taken aback at the sudden burst. If anything, Inoue crying was the one thing he hated the most. Even more then his rivalry with Ichigo. It made her look weak and he knew for a fact that she wasn't.

"Stop that" he hissed, rubbing a hand roughly on her cheek, trying to wipe away the returning tears.

"I'm sorry…," she whispered. He almost missed it.

"I'm used to it"

"I'm sorry…" she whispered again. From there, she just kept on repeating the phrase repeatedly.

"Shut the fuck up already" he growled. "It isn't that big of a deal. You always cry!"

"No…I'm sorry"

"For the love of…if you start again, I swear I'll hit ya, bitch"

She didn't comment back. A slap would do her good.

"Look, why don't ya tell me later, after we're finished" he grinned, leaning back onto her. But Inoue beat him to it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him in. Once at his ear, she whispered her secret, not baring to see his face.

"I'm pregnant"

A pause. She could hear his heartbeat, which was ironic since he never seemed to have a heart. But other then the quietness, he didn't seem to react. Instead, Grimmjow pulled away from her and stared. He suddenly raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

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**Not much of a cliffhanger but well, Grimmjow is sometimes a little thick head in my opinion :p**


	15. Chapter 15

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"…what?" a look of pure confusion arose on Inoue's face. She stared wide eyed at her former lover. He looked back with annoyance.

"So…what if ya have a brat in you?"

Orihime couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew he was a pompous jerk, but this…this blew away her image of him.

"Not like we still can't fuck. I'll just be careful" with that, he leaned back into her, a smile starting on his face at her frozen stance. Maybe this would be easier then he thought, if she didn't bitch again.

"Grimmjow!"

So close.

"What!?"

When he looked at her again, he was surprised to see, though her tears still coloured her face in sadness, it was also showing a mix of anger and surprise. Those large brimming grey eyes were narrowed but not making much eye contact with him.

"How could…" she was so quite, he had to lean closer to hear. "How can you…say that?"

"Huh? What're ya whining bout?"

"How could you say what you said!!!"

Nothing usually shocked Grimmjow so much he would react more then a different expression. But having his head so close to hers was not the reason he suddenly jumped a good few centimetres above the bed. In all the time he knew her, Grimmjow had never heard Inoue speak louder then her inside voice or lower. Yet right then, not only was her volume louder then he thought possible but her tone was something he had never heard, had never even imagined, she could use.

That was the one reason he didn't get mad.

"W-What…"

"Grimmjow why!? Why did you say that!?"

"…I…"

"I know how insensitive you can be but this!!!"

One after the other. She just kept shouting and shouting at him. About how he knew nothing of how she felt and what she went through and how he didn't even communicate in anyway to her. Soon she wasn't even sure what she was saying anymore. Her anger boiled down and her voice returned to its normal stature. Shouts were replaced by cries and sobs. Her chest ached and her lungs felt dead. She just wanted to crawl up in a ball and die. What's the point of living with a baby given to her my a nothing.

She wasn't even conscious that he hadn't said a word, not a single comeback. He was quite before and after her rant and his surprised, wide-eyed look was still plastered on his face. Grimmjow just couldn't believe his woman – his quite, sweet, ridiculously innocent woman – would say such…things. To him no doubt. He had no idea what she was talking about and he never really thought she would so passionately hate the fact he has not, was not able to, contact her. She was never _that_ bad when she was angry with him.

Grimmjow wasn't stupid. Thick-headed, maybe, but not stupid. He knew he was missing something.

He pushed himself of his position and leaned on his ankles, bringing his head closer to hers. She was still crying and her face was hidden by her knees.

"What are you talking about?"

She refused to look up at him.

"Yer gonna have to explain more in detail, princess, cause yer leavin me hangin here"

No response.

Betraying her want, Grimmjow wrapped his arms around her small figure and brought her in. He could hear her breathe hitch and then she went silent. They sat there for a few minutes, listening or ignoring to the ticking of the clock on her bedside. Grimmjow let his guard down for her, resting his shin on her head, even though she was still rejecting him.

Remember, he was no idiot.

"The brat's mine, ain't it?"

The slight movement of her head was his answer.

He scoffed "never thought _this_ would happen…"

Grimmjow grabbed onto the female's shoulders and pushed her away a little. He cupped her face, still wet from her stream of tears, and lifted her head up to face him. Her eyes though, tried to look away. He struggled for eye contact but gave up.

"Why the hell are you stressing on it?"

She stayed mute.

Now he was getting irritated.

"Answer me, dammit. Yer not makin this any better on yerself or me!"

This time, Inoue did wince at his harsh words. Her anger did boil and she had to admit, it's probably a shock for the arrancar man who is defiantly not used to or expecting to get any one of his lovers pregnant. But then, arrancar don't get pregnant. Orihime was not an arrancar. Guilt was the reason more tears spilled and Inoue ducked her head and made herself come closer to Grimmjow's rough frame.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered in a high pitched tone. Grimmjow heard it loud and clear though.

"Ain't yer fault" he comment, letting his hands drop. He was only soft when he knew it was his fault. Now, he didn't need to comfort any more. "Just…wow"

She nodded, soaking his jacket with her tears and raised her head. In her position, she could only see his jaw.

"It's…just been really difficult…"

This time the arrancar pulled back from her. She felt cold and a little naked without his form wrapped around her. He gave her an unexplainable look.

"Er…"

Inoue now looked at him, eyes wide and glistened. She managed to wipe away the last remaining tears. Her friends warned her that one day, she wouldn't be able to cry anymore cause she already lost all her tears. Orihime never believed them.

"Can't…ya know…um"

Inoue inclined her head to the side. Grimmjow never really tripped on his words. Unless he was _really_ mad. Then he just mumbled words.

"Hm, can't you, like, get rid of the thing?"

Thinking back, Grimmjow really regretted his words.

Orihime felt like she had been punched multiple times in the stomach. For her, time stopped then and it was just her and the man sitting in front of her. He didn't look like he was joking or was being serious. He just looked like…he didn't care at all.

Guilt no longer took over Inoue's soul. Not a speck of anything was left in her heart for Grimmjow. Not compassion, love, or even anger. Just nothing. For that reason, it was ok for her to slap the Sexta Espada as hard as she had ever slapped anyone before. She got the satisfaction of hearing the loud impact and the grunt from the male. Looking at her work, she could see a red mark across his face, looking like it really stung. Good.

"Fuck!" he cursed loudly, then glared daggers at the woman she didn't care. "The hell is wrong with you, bitch!!"

"Leave."

Blunt. To the point.

"'scues me?" he growled, still pissed, but quite surprised at her forwardness.

Now frustrated tears formed on the female's eyelids. "JUST LEAVE GRIMMJOW!!" he jumped back in utter shock. "I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!! YOU HAVE NO CARE FOR ANYONE IN THE WORLD BUT YOUSELF!! I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE EVER LOVED SOMEONE LIKE YOU!!"

Now she was sobbing loudly and hiccupped as she tried to fit the rest of her words in. "I've been through Hell Grimmjow…just Hell. Waiting for you. Hoping you would understand. That you would…" if she wasn't crying so hard, Inoue might have started laughing. At herself. How could she have thought a being as heartless as Grimmjow would be _there for her_. That was more like Ichigo or Ishida or her other guys friends.

Her cries drowned out whatever else she wanted to say. But the message came out loud and clear. The arrancar male sat there for a few minutes, just looking at the small, skinny girl. Her body shook with her sobs and her tears stained her small face as she rubbed them with her sleeve. She was real fragile and innocent. How could he have…

But then, Grimmjow wasn't one to sit and take the blame for something so…confusing. With a definite grunt, he stood up, on the bed covers and, with a snap of his fingers, opened up a portal to his world. Inoue heard the familiar sound of something zipping and she knew her lover was leaving. She wouldn't even look up as he left. But he did. As he stepped into the blackness, he glanced over his shoulder at his woman, head bent and slender legs buckled into each other. She looked more broken then the first time he did her. A pang poked in his chest but he held it back. His annoyance mounted higher then any other emotion. He turned his head as the portal closed, sealing their worlds.

Orihime was left to cry herself to sleep.

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**GAH! I fail at emotional scenes!! But yay I got to use caps lock! Haha I am such a dork….**


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry for the lack of updates guys! Hope ya'll like the new chapter!**

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It was now a month since Grimmjow's visit and Inoue's healing was slowing down. The shock of seeing him again at such a time and putting so much stress in getting angry had taken a toll and she felt so sick for the whole time. Tatsuki was quite confused over the whole ordeal. Orihime refused to tell her, or Rangiku, or anyone for that matter, about Grimmjow. They didn't even know he was the father. Orihime spent most of her time in Unohana's office though. The captain had other plans, meetings and work so she wasn't around but Retsu allowed Inoue to sleep in her therapy chair for as long as she wanted.

The bulge in Inoue's stomach was getting more noticeable now. The kid was thumping now and that little sign of life brought some peace to the already torn woman. She couldn't ever regret her decision in keeping the child. Sure, being a mother was a little later in her list of things to be/do, but she could balance well.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Tatsuki asked, one morning, visiting Inoue before she left to school. She was helping Inoue eat her breakfast, as the girl's pregnancy became even more obvious. Tatsuki was referring to when Inoue was going to tell her other friends about this.

Truthfully, she hoped to keep it a secret forever. But that was difficult. Tatsuki came to her house with announcements of her friends getting more and more suspicious about her "illness". Rangiku was running out of excuses. And there was still one more month left, according to Unohana.

Suddenly, Orihime was finding difficulty in swallowing the lump of cold chicken left over from last night's dinner. "I…don't know" she bit her lip a little. Tatsuki lifted another piece.

"You can't do this forever, ya know" the tomboy sighed "I wouldn't be surprised if Ichigo suddenly came crashing through your window considering you keep your doors closed"

Inoue raised in eyebrow at her friend. It was pretty humours when she thought about her hot-headed ex-crush in that scenario. The scary part was that she wouldn't be surprised if he did. Orihime giggled. Tatsuki smiled at her reaction.

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Matsumoto sighed and retracted the cell from her ear. Sometimes her captain's voice was just to harsh. It felt like sand paper rubbing against her ear drums.

"Rangiku, are you listening to me!?" Hitsugaya's voice boomed. "This is an order. Report to Soul Society right now. There is a call back and you are no longer needed"

She would beg to differ. The female shinigami's eyes trailed down the hall as she lounged on Inoue's sofa. She took a glance at her friend's door and sighed. She didn't feel like she had done enough for Orihime and in a situation like this, to leave only one person just didn't feel right.

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**OK, for those who did not read my memo on chapter 12, here is how Grimmjow got Inoue pregnant after 4 years:**

"**Grimmjow ain't human ;) The process of his sperm takes longer to reach her egg, her body not expecting sex from someone basically dead."**

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"Captain, I can handle the new recruits who come here. Let me be assigned for a few more weeks" Matsumoto's voice was soft. This meant she was dead serious. Hitsugaya was quite on the other end for awhile.

"Did something happen?"

Rangiku licked her bottom lip nervously. "Um, no. Nothing in particular. You shouldn't be concerned about it, Taichou. If you stress out too much, you could get a bald spot" she giggled.

When she heard the definite annoyed sigh from Toshiro, she knew she has won. "Very well. But only for a few weeks. Three, and that is it. Understand?"

Matsumoto smiled and sighed. "Aye ye, Captain." With that, she clicked her phone closed and laid her whole body on the couch. She closed her eyes and let the light from the dim lamp above her filter her eyelids. It was quite in the living room except for the ticking of the clock above the stove and the muffled sounds of collage students in Inoue's room. Times like these allowed Rangiku to think.

She was a woman, a friend and, heck, even a sister. But she was a shinigami too. And she needed time to think over what her Captain had admitted. Suddenly, things were getting quite dangerous with the balance. As if the War wasn't bad enough. Now Aizen seemed to have managed to bring his Espada back to life. Revival? No. It seemed more like cloning. So he can _clone_ them? Since when? How? Why? And how come he didn't use that power during the War? Did he know then?

Rangiku groaned and pinched her nose bridge. She felt a headache coming on. If another War broke out, she would _lose_ it. Why couldn't the arrancars stay on their own side? Why couldn't they all just return back to the old routine. Hollows chase souls, shinigami kill Hollows, soul goes to Soul Society. There was nothing difficult about that. Obviously, Aizen wanted to make it difficult.

Matsumoto reopened her eyes before her mind drifted back to her fox like ex-friend. He still kept her up at night.

Before going into that, she let her mind drift to her newfound human sister, Orihime. What would become of her? According to the auburn haired female, Aizen hadn't used her. In fact, he proclaimed she was useless to him. Rangiku, and practically the whole Society did not believe that. Would he come back for her?

And what of Inoue's child?

Matsumoto hoped that when the kid came out, she would determine the father then. And beat the crap out of the guy, regardless of who it was.

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"_JUST LEAVE GRIMMJOW!! I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!! YOU HAVE NO CARE FOR ANYONE IN THE WORLD BUT YOUSELF!! I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE EVER LOVED SOMEONE LIKE YOU!!"_

_Dammit!_ Grimmjow jumped from his set in anger. His mind was filled with rage at that point but it died down quickly. He began to breathe heavily and let himself back down on the white grain sand of Hueco Mundo's land. He growled. Was that a nightmare? Arrancars didn't get nightmares. It was real. The whole fucking thing. He grinded his teeth in anger.

His first thought was that his anger was centered on the human girl. That pathetic, cry baby he screwed for laughs. But when he tried to pin her, it didn't seem right in his gut. Then again, he didn't have a gut…ok, a feeling in his mind. He just couldn't stand that ugly feeling so he looked for something that would get him this mad. Nothing else popped up. He sighed and tried to calm himself down by breathing in and out. He saw Kaname-asshole do it when he was about to lose it with Grimmjow and his latest treason.

The arrancar dug his fingers into the sand beneath him. He enjoyed the feeling of grainy sand under his finger nails. A slimy, rough creature suddenly popped up from the sand dunes and looked around franticly. Grimmjow raised an eyebrow at its scared form. He grabbed it before it scampered away and crushed it in his fists. Sand coloured with black liquid filtered his fist and he let the dead creature's remain fall to the ground. Nope, that didn't make him feel better either. He hissed and cursed colourfully under his breath.

"Having a nice break?"

The set voice shook Grimmjow's nerves. All his senses were pricked, and he fought back against the heavy spirit pressure threatening to crush him. His breathing hitched but he refused to show any kind of fear. Not in front of this man. Grimmjow turned his head to the side but looked straight ahead, not meeting the chocolate eyes of his leader, Aizen.

"What do _you_ want?" he spat the venom-covered word.

Aizen chuckled. "Just coming to check up on you"

Grimmjow almost laughed out loud. The man knew how to lie well enough. Even when he makes it obvious he is fibbing.

"I wonder what you think about sometimes" Aizen tapped his right temple with two fingers. "You're quite complicated, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques"

"Leave. Me. Alone." Grimmjow said every word with a pause each time. He despised Aizen playing with him like this.

The powerful man sighed silently. It was melodic. The Sexta noted the irony of the devil himself having such a kind voice. "By any chance, does the human Orihime Inoue infiltrate your thoughts?"

Grimmjow tensed again. He held his muscles in place. His eyes widened and he looked away quickly. Bad move. Aizen smiled at the reaction. Grimmjow scowled deeply and his eyes narrowed. "What are you blabbering about?"

"I know more than you lead on, my arrancar" one delicate hand landed on the Sexta's shoulder. Grimmjow felt it like hot magma. He arched away from the touch. "And I can see you take a liking to the human girl, Ms. Inoue."

Grimmjow brushed the hand away. "Fuck, you _are_ crazy. What kind of bullshit is that?" he went for a snicker but it came out weird.

"Very well," Aizen backed off, thankfully, "I have some work to do anyways," he turned and added quietly, "but remember, I know everything that happens in my castle. Everything."

With that warning, Aizen sonido'ed out of the area as quick as a blink. He still frightened Grimmjow with that infinite speed but the arrancar was never going to admit that. When he was gone, Grimmjow laid himself back on the sand. He wiped his sweaty forehead and growled in frustration. Oh how he hated Aizen. And he probably knew what was going on between them. But what would he do? What _could_ he do?

Grimmjow blinked at the dark sky above.

_What a fucked up place_, he thought angrily to himself.

This land of nothingness was not the right place for him. He needed more than this. Grimmjow recalled one warm night, after he messed with his woman, she was blabbering about her own world and how beautiful it was. He presumed it was cause she was as bored as he was of this God awful world. He remembered vaguely she said her world had a sky coloured in "the most gorgeous blue hue. It was like an endless pit of happiness and limit-less" and some other crap he forgot. But the way she described it made him slightly jealous. He wished he could see that sky in the day time. It was too dangerous, though. That was obvious.

He sighed loudly and roughly, before rolling over and closing his eyes for a little cat nap. He hated the land of humans, but at least it was **exciting**. Orihime made sure to explain that. His face wrinkled at the thought of her, and images of her broken self flashed through his mind. Little pangs of ugly emotions attacked him once again and he shook them away mentally. But they hung on. She was such a brat, doing this to him. Haunting his dreamless nights and daylight thoughts.

_I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE EVER LOVED SOMEONE LIKE YOU!!"_

Love an arrancar? She was just messing with him.

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"Ulquiorra," Aizen's voice boomed, in the large spaced room. His eyes were concentrated on the power orb in front of him. He did not look up when one of his faithful arrancars came trotting in. Ulquiorra was as static as ever as his heavy footsteps echoed.

"Aizen-sama" Ulquiorra stated, in his monotone voice.

"I have a mission for you" Aizen scrapped his index nail on the right arm of his throne. He smiled and his eyes gleamed darkly in the whiteness. "In the human world"

Ulquiorra's muscles perked ever so slightly but it went completely unnoticed. He bowed slightly, awaiting his assignment.

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Unohana patted Inoue's stomach lightly and smiled. She flicked her pencil over her clipboard and sat back into her seat.

"You're doing very well Orihime-chan. The baby is healthy" she announced.

Inoue smiled brightly and rubbed her stomach. It has gotten even larger and her time for delivery was fast approaching. Tatsuki, Rangiku and some of the fourth division members who knew helped her along the way. She was so grateful.

"I don't know how I can thank you for all you've done for me, Retsu-san" the auburn haired female whispered slightly. The doctor had been there from the beginning and was Orihime's mentor and guide starting out. She found it so difficult to accept her situation but her friends were there and that's all that mattered. Speaking of her friends…she wondered if she was ever going to tell them about what happened. What's happening.

"Don't mention it, Ms. Inoue" Unohana placed her check book on the table and smiled. "It's my job."

It wasn't really. She was supposed to be taking care of the shinigamis. Inoue was a human. She was taking up the doctors time and she felt guilty about it. Usually, Orihime left Unohana's quickly so as not to bother her but the fresh scent of flowers had the auburn haired female drift to sleep. When she woke up, the captain always had tea ready for her.

Unohana patted the human's belly again and held her smile. It was a small test to check the baby's response. "Healthy. Good. I believe he or she is just fine."

Inoue nodded and smiled weakly. That's what she always wanted to hear. It kept her going.

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**The climax is next chapter so look for it thxs!!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I'm nearing the end so the story may pick up it's pace. **

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Orihime wrapped the white towel around her enlarged stomach and scuttled into the steaming room. Evaporation poured liquid water from the door and the metal on the roofs. She almost slipped on a rock that jutted out of the floor. Sweat formed on her skin immediately as groups of white clouds interrupted her sight temporarily. She shuffled her way through till she heard the sound of running water slapping against rocks and weed. She felt around for the edge and slowly slide the white frame off her body. Inoue stepped into the hot water and hesitated, it's heat burning her.

"Need help?" Rangiku's voice echoed against the wooden door. Orihime stepped completely in and fell.

"No I'm fine, thanks!" she called back. She heard a bit of shuffling at the other end.

"Ok, but I'm right across if you need anything" the shinigami answered. More shuffling and then silence.

Orihime sighed and sank deeper into the sauna's heat. It surrounded her like fog. She closed her eyes and relaxed her muscles. Unohana had requested Inoue used the healthy water to calm her nerves. Stress could cause a miscarriage very late in the pregnancy and that was one threat Orihime has forgotten. And she had been feeling very stressful through the whole experience. She agreed, sitting on the smooth rocks below and letting the jets of water envelope her, that this was an excellent recommendation. She had never been to an onsen before. She couldn't remember if her brother had ever taken her to one.

And her brother…would he have been happy or worried or sad over her baby? He was in Soul Society now, but she could never find him. Was he not here? Did his soul really go to the Other Place? And was he watching her now? Inoue was scared over his reaction more than anyone else. Even though he is the last person who can do anything about it.

Orihime refused to regret her decision. She was going to have the child. With that thought lingering, she leaned against the non-sharp end of the tub and fell into a light sleep.

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Matsumoto tapped her pen against the desk frantically. Her eyes darted from her papers to the door and back again. She wrote her signature on the paper, passed it along, and went back to her routine. Hitsugaya watched her over his cup. The lazy lieutenant was normally slow in her writing, but once she made it to her desk, it was all business. Now, though, she seemed even slower then when she slept on the job. The captain put his paintbrush down.

"She'll be fine" he noted, taking his simple mug and sipping the green tea inside. Matsumoto looked over at him slightly. He knew she had dragged Orihime to the sauna but he decided not to ask why. He assumed it was 'girls stuff'. "Why wouldn't she be?"

"Well…I know. But she's never been to ours. And it's pretty wet in there, and large. She might get lost, or slip or something, and hit her head and pass out and drown!" The busty shinigami looked at the door again, with a more worried expression, the possibilities of injury racing through her mind.

He put his cup down. "Relax and work. The onsen isn't that dangerous and you can see well enough if you get used to the sight." He continued his signature writing. Matsumoto rolled her eyes at him. Only she assumed the worst for the right reasons.

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It was only by accident but Orihime had fallen from a slight, calm dream to a full-on sleep. She didn't call into the water completely but her arms flailed around her head which had tilted back and hit a small rock in the way. Strangely, it was very comfortable. Her back didn't arch completely because her stomach's weight kept her upper body held down. So she had to roll over, unconsciously, and let her hair surround her. The fog acted as a blanket, covering her still body and making her even more comfortable. In the back of her mind, her conscience was screaming at her to wake up and stop being stupid but she ignored it and shut it back into it's box.

A few minutes…

That wouldn't hurt anyone. The baby robbed her of most of her sleep so this slumber was much welcomed. She tended to have dreamless nights, which was good because then nightmares wouldn't creep their way in, and _his_ face wouldn't show up.

_He_ still infiltrated her thoughts though, like a brain virus you couldn't heal no matter what. She accepted the fact that _he_ would never leave her mind and decided she seriously needed to coop with it or she was never going to get better. So she felt indifferent over _him_. Neither hate nor love explained her feelings. It was all just oblivion. And she was never going to see _him_ again so it didn't matter. The baby may resemble _him_ so Orihime was healing herself to get ready.

It was fine. She had it all figured out. Her perfect plan had no faults. Inoue never realized how much she wanted something to be perfect till this moment of her rehabilitation. Thoughts like those made her days and nights simpler and easier.

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The female was so relaxed and serene. A small smile stretched across her features. Her white skin glistened with water in the light of the bulbs hanging overhead. Her crumpled, auburn hair clung to the floor and her naked back, shrouding most of her upper body. Her stomach had found rest against the undertone of the edge of the tub. Her legs were bent and lying at the bottom. It was very silent in the room and the smell of steam was all around. Ulquiorra's green eyes scanned the room for any surveillances or knotholes. Nothing came into view. He continued to shield his spirit energy with the _ocultado_. The solemn man stepped out and kept the portal behind him open. He needed to make this quick.

The girl had been unconscious the whole time till Ulquiorra got her off her solid ground and folded the dry towel around her cold body. Orihime's eyes fluttered open slowly, feeling like she was floating. Then the background of the onsen disappeared into a mixed darkness and a sensation of danger. She almost chocked on her own breath as she woke into a semi-conscience state. Her eyes grew wider as she realized arms wrapped around her and a speed unimaginable to her sight. Inoue suddenly felt a chill and fright took her. What was going on…?

Before she could collect her thoughts, she had a sensation of being outside. Wind blew against her, pricking her where her skin was visible. She was soon in a white desert. It looked all too familiar. An equally white building came into sight and the tapping of footsteps indicated the entry of whoever was holding her. Speaking of which…

Orihime jumped, like a bolt of lightening had hit her. Grey eyes looked up to meet emerald eyes and tear marks she could only vaguely remember. The coldness of his skin and his stone-dead face hit her the hardest. He had stopped and was looking at her intently, holding her bridal style as he limbs cooled from the water in the spa.

"Ulquiorra…" she whispered, her dry lips mouthing the syllables in disbelief. It was her former guardian and the one other arrancar, besides _him_, she had been the closest to. She remembered how she felt when he was around. At first, cold and alone. Then afterwards, she noticed the difference between him and the other arrancars. His curiosity was what had brought them together. But the last time she saw him, he was disappearing into ashes.

And she was in Las Noches again. The pearl pillars came into view and the fake light bounced of the shining blue floor. The last time she had seen this was when she followed her friends to the battlefield where the War was at it's peek.

"We meet again, Orihime" his low, monotone voice was like a dream she was remembering right then. "I apologize for this."

"Wha…?"

The next moment, hands and claws grabbed on her naked arms and pulled her right out of Ulquiorra's hold. The newcomers wrapped her whole body in white cloth and tied her with some sort of chain that she subconsciously knew she couldn't break out of. Orihime was frantic, resisting to their touches. They were arrancar soldiers who had guarded the palace from her nakama. Now they were dragging her down long corridors. She lost sight of Ulquiorra instantly.

The next shocked sight was one she almost missed. The arrancars were pushing and shoving her forward to keep up, almost pulling her along to follow their sonido. But the sky blue hair caught her vision and she turned her head quickly to the side to catch him. He was strutting slowly and looking up, checking what was all the fuss. She struggled to catch his eye. Orihime shoved aside arms and elbows.

"GRIMMJOW!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Her voice bounced off the walls and echoed through the corridors.

That shocked the sexta more than anything in his whole life. He raced closer to the group and just barley caught the sight of the female, who's wide grey eyes met his. Panic laced through her small face under sheets of white clothing. His chest thudded loudly and an unknown feeling circulated his body.

"What the hell!" he cried, going after the group. What was going _on_!? Why was his woman here!? Grimmjow was more pissed then ever before. There was _no way_ he was letting those fuckers handle her like that! He could still see her figure, and her hand trying to reach out. He raced faster, screaming for the arrancars to stop or he would cero their asses off.

A bolt like electricity attacked him suddenly, and he was hit, sending him flying backwards, and skidding across the floor. Orihime was in shock. She tried to cry out for him more but the guards decided they had, had enough and covered her mouth with their dead hands.

But Grimmjow didn't just lye there. The image of the woman was stuck to his sight and his blood boiled at the thought. Especially since…

He jumped up as fast as he could and tried to conjure up another sonido before he realized that he couldn't move his legs. Grimmjow looked down to see his ankles tied together with something that looked like glowing string. He tumbled right back down again. He hissed and growled, pushing against the restraints but it was no use. It was too powerful. Grimmjow then tried to push himself up but then found that even his wrists tied with the very same thing. He cursed loudly. Fuck this!

He looked up to see that the group had disappeared into another hall. Grimmjow just sat there, feeling _very_ helpless and _very_ angry.

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Orihime lost a lot of strength struggling in the first place against the tougher arrancars and losing sight of Grimmjow just caused her to be even more depressed. So she relaxed her body a little even as they neared a mysterious, beige colour door. It looked very out of place compared to the rest of the pearl white palace. She raised her head in confusion as the group stopped and the leader steeped out. He had a larger mask on his face and a scarier aura. He mumbled something under his breath and the door slid open quickly. Inoue blinked. That was strange. The doors she remembered didn't work like that. The arrancars then proceeded inside.

It looked like a bedroom though it was shrouded in darkness. The only light was from the Hueco Mundo moon shining through a large window the right. Orihime could see a King sized bed, with black laced sheets and a polished oak structure. There was also some sort of steel cupboard next to it that held nothing more than a bottle of what looked like water. One of the arrancars grabbed hold of Inoue's arm roughly and threw her onto the bed. She landed with a small grunt as her whole towel clocked body fell onto the softest cushions she had ever felt.

Some of the masked arrancars pulled the covers of the girl's form and held her down. The black laces felt like they were gripped her wrists, keeping her in her place.

"You will wait here" the leader said, his low voice booming against the walls of the large room. With that, the group spun on their heels and exited the room quicker then they had entered it. Orihime turned her head to the side and watched them leave. As the door closed behind them, she realized just how useless the light of the moon was at this moment.

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**Wow I was pretty surprised when I saw the number of reviews I got O.o But thank you for your comments!!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry for the over-due update! School is annoying!**

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Grimmjow growled, pulling on the restrains, uncaring of his bleeding wrists. Adrenaline rushed into his veins like caffeine. Images of the woman flashed behind his eyelids and they gave him energy to keep trying. He cried out loudly at his uselessness. This kidou-like attack was quite powerful and he just couldn't break out of them at all. He cried out again and again as he pulled on them fighting against his ankles. Sweat cooled on his forehead and back and he hissed, tiredness seeping in. He was getting angrier and angrier and was ready to take Hueco Mundo down if he had to, to get to his woman.

"Oh how pitiful" a rough voice cackled, approaching the Sexta. Grimmjow cursed colourfully and refused to look up as Nnoitra came closer and stopped in front of him. "Ya really look stupid ya know, Grimmjow. This happens when ya mess around with things that don't belong to you."

"Shut the fuck up, you shithead. What the hell do you think your saying" Grimmjow growled again, his voice lower then normal.

"Oh we all know" Nnoitra grinned widely down at the Espada. "You and Pet-sama. Should have guessed, though. It was somewhat obvious before. Gin leaked the news if you're wondering. But look where the whole thing left you now! I'm thinking though, was it really worth it? I mean, she's pretty damn hot, but real stupid, if ya asked me."

Grimmjow glared up at the fifth Espada, trying to silence him. "Shut yer trap, dick. Fuck off."

"Oh? Pissed are we? So ya still wanna mess around with Aizen-sama's project? Fine, whatever. Yer funeral. This is what happens when Arrancars start to feel anything. They end up as suckers in the end."

With that, Nnoitra, with another cackle, walked down the hallway, leaving a more defeated Grimmjow behind.

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Orihime lay in the bed, shivering, despite the heavy blankets draping her body. She wanted to cry but held it in. What good were her tears? Not to mention a gnawing pain was working it's way around her stomach and her baby was kicking roughly now. She lay on her back and squeezed her eyes very tightly. She rubbed her stomach roughly, trying to calm down her child. Her other hand gripped the lace under them, and her breathing became jagged. She hadn't realized how close she was to giving birth. She hadn't been keeping track for awhile.

The pain had encircled her so much that she didn't even realize when someone had come in till their shadow blocked the moonlight streaming in. She forced her eyes open and looked up to see the leaning, towering body of Aizen Sosuke, who looked down at her with a small smile and thoughtful chocolate brown eyes that looked black. He was wearing his original attire, not changing his style.

"Hello Ms. Orihime Inoue. It's good to see you again," he whispered.

Orihime couldn't answer, throat locked. She didn't even want to answer. A cool hand slipped into the covers and laid on top of her stomach. Her breath hitched. She didn't even care that she was practically naked. But she disliked it very much that the overlord had his hands on the precious life inside of her.

"Relax. I will not harm you. However, the child inside of you, I must deal with"

He rubbed her stomach lightly, kindly and somehow, it made her relaxed. "W-What…?" she breathed.

"You see, Inoue-san, a child hybrid of a human and arrancar? Think about it. That could be the most amazing discovery yet. I, for one, am curious about it. Aren't you?"

No, no she wasn't. A life was a life.

"I would like to study the matter a little thoroughly. It could possibly help with my plan at the moment" he continued to rub her stomach, thinking deeply. "For that, I will extract the baby using the Hougyoku."

Inoue's hand flew to Aizen's wrist, gripping it so tightly that her knuckles turned white insistently. He stopped and looked at her. Her eyes spoke of terror and horror. She was sweating now, and her breathing became audible.

"WHAT!?' she screeched, surprised she could get that out of her sharp oesophagus. She coughed a bit.

"It's not right. How do you know the baby will be healthy if you wait as long as a human baby needs? Would you like to take the risk?"

He was truly a madman. A crazy, psychotic lunatic. But…he was sort of making sense in a way. Still, her grip did not loosen. A muscle twitched in Aizen's face, the closest to a frown she had ever seen on his face. His other hand came up and softly rubbed her fist. In an almost lazy manner, Orihime's hand began slip of his wrist. She wasn't even controlling her hand.

When she finally let go fully, Aizen took the hand that had just gripped him and placed it over her chest lightly. His brown eyes met hers, warm and sweet. Looking into them, a sort of drowsiness took over Orihime's body. Her vision began to blur, her heartbeat slowing down, and her breath became soft. Her eyelids flew down slowly, enveloping herself in darkness yet again. Her muscles relaxed and soon, sleep took her.

Aizen smiled wider. "Sleep tight, Ms. Inoue"

He turned and exited the room quickly.

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"Fuck" Grimmjow breathed in and out harshly. His teeth gritted tightly together and he continued to curse under his breath. Here he was, feeling as helplessly weak as a newborn puppy and somewhere his woman, _his _damn woman, was probably being tortured by that sick fuck Aizen and God knows what he planned to do with the brat the chick carried. Thinking about it, Grimmjow got even more angrier. For the longest time, he wasn't sure how he was to react to the kid. He knew humans could reproduce. He was human once, though her forgot most of his past, so he knew how it worked.

But really, as far as he knew, Arrancars couldn't reproduce with anyone. Sure, they had dicks and pussies and even sperm but the idea never occurred to anyone so it was fine sleeping around for them.

However, with this incident, the whole idea could be turned upside down. It would be troublesome and annoying.

And here Grimmjow was, in the middle of this uncomfortable moment. He had never worried about impregnating Orihime, which was the main reason he always went crazy and had fun with the innocent woman during their times together. But now…he wasn't sure.

What Nnoitra said flashed in his mind over and over again. _Was it worth?_

Was it? The question gave him a headache. He wondered about it through…his mind kept dragged him back to it. He didn't have an answer. He didn't know if it was worth. And frankly, he didn't give a fuck. Why should he wallow in such a meaningless question? That's a better question.

Fuck them all.

She was his. And he would get her back even if it killed him.

Instead of pulling on his restrains, Grimmjow tried to pick himself up. Even if it looked ridiculous and stupid, dammit, he would _hop_ to the bitch if that's what it takes!

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Inoue hadn't had a dream, that she could remember, in awhile. This time she did. But she wasn't sure if it was a nightmare instead. In her vision, she wasn't doing anything. She was standing, in total darkness, on something that looked like a mirror. She knew this because she could see her reflection as she stared down. Her eyes were blank, without a single shimmer, and her hands were cupped together on her chest.

Then a figure appeared in front of her. Inoue looked up and stared at the boy. He was tall with a scowl etched on his face and solid ice blue eyes sort of glaring at her. He had his hands in his jeans pockets and he was leaning in an almost lazy stance. His hair was a bit spiky, laying across his scalpel and eyes like a blue mop.

Somehow, he was very familiar to Orihime. But she couldn't put her finger on his name. The boy gave her one last look before turning away and stalking into the darkness, vanishing. Inoue found herself calling for him, then, as she took a step to follow him, realized that she was falling. Falling fast.

The woman woke up with a jump. Her eyes popped open, staring up at the ceiling above. She blinked confusion out of her mind and let the lace blankets, which she had been gripping, go. Surprisingly, she wasn't in a state of panic or was sweating as expected after a "nightmare". It just seemed…strange. The whole dream was odd.

Inoue rested herself against the soft cushions for a little while till she sensed someone at the door to the bedroom. All her muscles clenched as she heard a click and saw light flooding the dark area. Her eyes trailed the line of rays and saw the shadow of a man looming. She knew who it was immediately.

"Are you still ok?" the velvet voice asked, walking up to her lying form.

Aizen smiled at Orihime, whom pulled herself up onto a sitting position. She pulled the blankets over her naked form. She felt less vulnerable like this.

"Fine" she answered, not looking at him. She found comfort in looking at the black blanket instead.

"Are you ready then?" he asked.

This time she did look at him. The man snapped his fingers and light opened up, as if he clicked on the Sun. Inoue cried out a bit and closed her eyes, too sensitive to the light.

"Oh my…sorry about that." She knew he wasn't at all.

Once she recomposed, Inoue found that Aizen was holding something his hand. Looking a bit closer, she gasped when she realized that he was holding the, Hougyoku. The stone that caused all of Hueco Mundo and Soul Society to be thrown in a fit of chaos.

Aizen smiled wider at her reaction and raised it up. "You do of course still remember this, Ms. Inoue?" His eyes were knowing.

And she did remember. Clearly. A moment, just before the War ended, Inoue had taken the initiative to go along with her plan to reject the Hougyoku. She managed to find and reject the object. Or so she thought. It was something that had always nagged her afterwards. It had made a strange noise as she was rejecting it, and she mistook it for something else. After, she wasn't so sure. Now, she could tell.

"I didn't succeed" she almost whispered "I woke it up"

The overlord nodded, glee in his eyes. "And I thank you for that, Orihime-chan. For without what you did, I would never have been able to bring my Espada's back to life, or would have been able to continue to control them."

"So that's it…" that was why the shinigamis had reported that it was the Espadas, not just regular arrancars, which had attacked. "And they are…stronger?"

"Yes. More powerful than before."

Of course. Now it made sense.

"And? Now what?" Orihime still couldn't make eye contact with Aizen but that was fine. She just couldn't look at him right now.

"Simple. I would rather avoid yet another simple and stupid "War". So I plan to try another tact."

Orihime heard something sizzle and turned to see the Hougyoku begin to almost melt in Aizen's hand. As it's "liquid" began to drip onto his bare flesh, his skin turned a sort of greenish grey. Orihime gasped loudly, eyes wide.

"But enough about that" Aizen's normally chocolate brown eyes turned to black stones insistently. "Let's remove this problem you have first, shall we?"

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At least he was getting somewhere. However, still it wasn't enough. The rare arrancars that had passed by stared at the hopping Espada strangely, but chose to stop staring as they saw the death glare that could have easily killed them faster then any cero. Grimmjow managed to string along every curse word created every time he tripped over his tangled ankles. Which happened many times.

It was just too pathetic.

Just as the Sexta turned a corner, still unsure of where his woman was, Ulquiorra stepped out and stood in his way. The arrancar's green eyes scanned the ruffled Espada as he stood, growling ever so loudly at the obstacle.

"If you want to stop me, you can sure as hell try. I won't go down without a fucking fight."

Obviously, the Sexta had been pulled to the last edges of his paitent so he really didn't want to have to fight someone like Ulquiorra at the moment.

However, surprisingly, the Fourth shook his head slowly. He met Grimmjow icy eyes with his empathetic ones.

"No, I will help you."

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**FINALLY DONE! So happy I got this out here before the end of the weekends!!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks for waiting guys! And awesome reviews! I will try to continue to do my best!**

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Help? Seriously? This was no time for joking!!!

If Grimmjow wasn't so annoyed and pissed, he would have laughed his ass off. Was the other man really expecting Grimmjow to believe him? The Sexta settled for lifting an eyebrow ever so slightly.

"The fuck you talking about?"

"Please tell me you are not that much of an idiot?"

Grimmjow retracted his face back into an angry look. Ulquiorra sighed and took his hands out of his pockets. He came behind Grimmjow, shocking the Sexta, and grabbed the light wrapped around his wrists. In one tough jerk, the light dispatched, leaving a bit of smoke. Ulquiorra did the same with the ones wrapped around Grimmjow's ankles and soon, he was free. The fourth Espada straightened up, then, looking down at his lower.

Grimmjow looked back up, surprise and something else emitted in his eyes.

"Do not just sit there."

It took a moment for Grimmjow's mind to register. Then he got up, quickly, conscious coming back to him. His muscles tightened and his senses detected his woman close by. However, her spirit energy was wavering, and Grimmjow was suddenly tense.

Ulquiorra stared into his eyes. "Let's go."

"Wait."

The word tumbled out of him before he could stop his curiosity. Ulquiorra looked at Grimmjow questioningly. The Sexta looked back.

"Why?"

"There is no time for such questions," with that, the emo-looking arrancar turned and sonido down the hallway. After a moment, Grimmjow followed, struggling to get ahead, adrenaline returning to his blood.

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Despite her weak body, Orihime jerked back, away from Aizen's hand, falling off the edge of the bed she had sat on, dragging thick, black blankets with her. She toppled onto her back, warm skin meeting a hard stone floor. She yelped in pain, feeling her spine rub in an uncomfortable way. But she managed scuttled away, the blankets bundled up around her feet. If she was running, she would have tripped. The heavy blankets made it hard for her to move away any farther then the close, opposite wall. She regarded Aizen with frightened, and rejecting eyes. The overlord watched her clumsily display in mild curiosity and slight annoyance.

"I hoped you wouldn't try to do anything" he shook his head, and came around the bed, green hand still up. It seemed to glow a bit. "It makes it so much harder for me."

With one more jerk, painful to her muscles, Inoue got up, wrapping the covers around her still naked form, and backed against the wall. The wall was just as cold as the floor, but she shivered only once. Her hot blood was pounding in her veins, numbing the cold, and she tried to steady her breathe. Now her eyebrows narrowed.

"Don't come near me."

Aizen did. He stopped only three feet away from her, staring, with a small hint of a smile etched on his face.

The woman froze, suddenly frightened at the silence in the room. She glared at Aizen, turning her face ever so slightly. "You can't take my child from me."

"Child? Is that what you call it?" Aizen chuckled lightly. Orihime had never wanted to hit someone so much in her whole life. "Get this right, Ms. Inoue. Whatever is inside of you is not human. It has no real identity. I believe you are doing it a favour…"

"You said you wouldn't kill it!" she shouted.

Aizen raised a perfect brown eyebrow. "When did I say that? Even a dead specimen is easy to experiment on."

Shock and disgust flashed across Inoue's face. Aizen was a madman, sure, but this? He was tipping over now. She wondered if his lose in the War had turned him crazy. Probably.

A hand flew to her stomach, half to protect her child and half because it was starting to kick again. "No."

"My," Aizen chuckled again "when did you think you had a choice?"

In one quick movement, even as her muscle began to betray her, Orihime reached over to the solid iron cupboard next to the bed, grabbed the glass pitcher and flung it at Aizen. He moved his head to the side, feeling the wind of the object against his cheek, and hearing it crash against another wall. Inoue dashed, in this small moment, around Aizen and over the bed. She was almost to the door when a sudden tug on the blankets surrounding her caused her to fall hard, hitting her head on the door. Black spots dotted her vision and yelled out in pain and frustration.

Her child wasn't helping.

"Please be silent, now, Ms. Inoue" Aizen said. She could hear the smile in his voice. He was no in front of her lying body.

She closed her eyes tightly, fighting back the tears. Aizen kneeled down and lightly, gently picked her up and gestured her to the bed again. Inoue was too tired to fight back now, head throbbing and her stomach churning in agony. She feel against the soft cushions of the bed, thankfully this time. She allowed the softness to cover her, circled around her. She smelt a faint lavender smell, and her nerves calmed down.

"This will be quick, and painless" Aizen nodded, his hand reaching down against her belly.

This time, Orihime believed him, nodding slightly and letting him. She was only half conscious and wasn't debating if this was morally right or not. She just wanted to be free again.

It was strange, feeling Aizen's hand descending into her stomach and grabbing onto the pain. It didn't hurt, like he said, but it did feel unseemly. Like the hand was out of place. Which it was.

The pain only came when the hand began to retract, dragging something heavy, slippery and alive with it. The pain grew more and more to the point that Orihime was arching off the bed, screaming her head off. Her eyes were closed tightly but she could sense half of the head of the baby coming out. Through the pain, her conscience kicked it, and Orihime's hand came flying up, nails poised, slashing outwards. In the fury, she managed to scratch deeply into the skin of Aizen's hand. Even though it was green, it was still skin.

Aizen suddenly let go, and slowly Inoue's agony subsided as she felt something slid back into her stomach, like when she wet bread. It made her sick and if she had anything but her baby in her stomach, she would have vomited right then and there. Instead, she settled for coughing up blood and trying to regain lost breath, hand tightly fisted against her stomach.

The child was kicking wilder now, but it wasn't anything like the pain from Aizen's extraction.

"Oh my. Looks like we're going to have to start all over again" Aizen shrugged, which went unseen by Inoue who once again jerked away from him. This time, she didn't go over the edge of the bed, but looked up, glaring death into Aizen's eyes.

"Don't. I won't let you." She sounded tougher then she felt. Inoue was exhausted that it was amazing she could keep from collapsing. She was dizzy and sick and a fever grew quickly. Her strength went into her two hands, together, on her stomach, protecting her child.

"Must we do this again?" Aizen actually sounded genuinely annoyed. Orihime shook her head, and crouched to keep away from him.

Not trying to be gentle this time, Aizen grabbed both the woman's wrists and pried her hands from her stomach.

"NO!!!" she shouted, bloody murder, tears erupting suddenly. "NO, NO, NO!!"

An explosion interrupted the pair's frenzy and Inoue almost mistook the sound for her own wailing. However, she opened her eyes, noticing Aizen stopping, and looked to the far wall. Clouds of debris blocked the view of the giant hole centered there. As she blinked, Inoue could make out two black forms, and as the clouds disappeared, she could see them clearly through her blurry vision.

Grimmjow stood there, breathing hard, his chest falling up and down quickly. His teeth were bared in an animalistic scowl and his eyes spoke of murder. His wrists were braceleted with black, and blood streamed down from the left side of his forehead.

He looked like a total mess but to Inoue, right then, happiness, joy and relief coursed through her. So much so that a grin broke over her face.

"Grimmjow!" she shouted.

Someone else was standing beside Grimmjow but Inoue was too happy to see the Sexta to notice immediately. Then Aizen's voice broke in.

"Grimmjow…and Ulquiorra? I thought I would never live to see the day…"

Orihime's smile faltered a little as she looked over to see the Quatro Espada standing next to his hated rival, hands in his pockets and a bit of debris over his white uniform. He looked more intact then Grimmjow.

"Let her go, asshole!" Grimmjow growled, loudly.

Aizen merely raised an eyebrow. "And what if I say no? Can you really take me on, Grimmjow?"

In response, the feline man jumped, almost floating in the air towards Aizen. For a moment, Orihime thought he was really going to go in for an attack. Then she watched him pass his lord and come towards her. In a split second, he had his arms wrapped around her form, pulling her out of the heavy covers and into his arms, bridal style. It took another moment for Inoue to wrap her own, skinny arms around his massive neck and breath in the familiar scent he always had. Her tears broke loose freely now, and she cried against his shoulders.

Unknown to her, Ulquiorra had snapped his fingers, silently. The wall behind the bed suddenly ripped open like paper, and revealed nothing more than darkness.

"Go" Ulquiorra commanded. Grimmjow gave his fellow comrade one last glance. This was probably the last time he would ever see Ulquiorra and Grimmjow savoured his thankful attitude towards the Quatros, hoping Ulquiorra understood, before turning and jumping into the portal.

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**Thankfully, I got this done before the weekends! I'm pretty sure the end is up next! Maybe it will be short, maybe long. We'll see!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Almost done guys! Thanks for the reviews!**

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It was silent in the darkness of the boarder between Hueco Mundo and the real world. The silence was almost like a weight, crushing the two souls speeding across a blue line, thick enough for both of them to stand on, which eliminated their path. The only sounds were feet shuffling and breaths hitching. But mostly, they did not say anything to each other or to themselves. They weren't even thinking.

Orihime could hear her heart pounding every step of the way and her tears rolled down her flushed cheeks quietly. Her eyes were screwed shut and her breath was rigid. But her body was tense and gripping the older man deathly. If he wasn't so hyped on adrenaline, Grimmjow would be complaining that she was chocking him. But he admitted, he wouldn't be bothered in the least bit. He was holding onto her _as_ tightly.

Why the hell was this path so long?

Inoue was in a great deal of pain. Her nails digging into his skin indicated her state and Grimmjow sped even faster through the space midway of two worlds. Their worlds.

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"_She'll be fine_, you said" Matsumoto hissed under her breath, tapping her foot furiously against the wooden flooring. "_Relax and work_, you said."

"Excuse me," Hitsugaya decried "I can hear you."

Rangiku gave him a look that clearly said 'I know'.

"I suppose you are right for being cross" the short captain sighed and looked off. Members of his division were passing him by. Some had been notified while others were going along their daily lives. Hitsugaya had sent his first officer to tell Yamamoto of the Arrancar visit. "I just really though…"

"That they didn't need her anymore?" Rangiku questioned, staring at her captain, bathing in this very rare occasion of being right when he was wrong.

Her captain looked at her now. "This is ridiculous"

"I couldn't agree more."

Matsumoto turned from him and entered the sauna. The heat had been turned off and it was very cool inside. There was no steam and the lights themselves were even dim. It didn't look like a heavenly paradise for stressed shinigamis. It looked almost…dead. Matsumoto bit her lip. This was just awful. Who knows what was going to Orihime. She never spoke about her time in Hueco Mundo and Matsumoto had never pestered her for information. Now she wondered, was that a mistake? Would talking about it have changed anything?

Probably not.

Rangiku was about to turn away and leave the sauna when a jet of energy attacked her senses, making her gasp heavily as if she was punched in the stomach. She stood rigid, her eyes wide and sweat beading on her forehead. She clenched her fingers and controlled herself.

Well, well…

She watched without emotion as the opposite wall of the sauna she was facing suddenly ripped apart clearly, leaving a sweet and simple black hole. The only light she saw was that of a blue, glowing ground at the very edge of the hole. Her hand quickly swept to her sword and she pulled it out cleanly, poised to attack whatever would come out. The feet shuffling she heard outside indicated that her captain had also sensed the arrancar invasion.

Coming back for more? What the hell?

But as Rangiku stood there, pin pointing the energy of the enemy, she sensed something else. Another, new and very weak spiritual pressure. Her posture was soon lost and her body relaxed a bit. She blinked as a figure emerged from the hole, slowly, without a promise of danger.

"What…?"

"Take the girl."

The voice was rough and ragged, but Rangiku didn't know who it was. She did, however, know it was an Espada. A very tall, buff one at that, with crazy blue hair slopped down and plastered on his pale forehead. He was holding something in his arms, his wrists bloody. Matsumoto held her breath as she saw who it was.

"Rangiku!" Hitsugaya called and the next minute he was beside her. The whole room was beginning to get colder and colder by the second as the captain brandished his sword, ready to call for his bankai. His pale blue eyes stared feverishly at the arrancar.

"Captain!" Matsumoto cried bloody murder and gripped his shoulders tightly. Surprised, he turned to her. She looked very pale, even with the lights weak, and she was shaking.

Without giving him another glance, the lieutenant quickly raced to the Espada, her sword placed back into her sheathe and her arms outstretched. The Espada all but threw the cowering woman in his arms at Rangiku and she gripped the figure in her arms in almost hysteria.

"Call for Unohana taichou!" she shouted to her captain. When he hesitated, she repeated her demand, louder and in a shriller voice.

"Better listen to her" the Espada muffled, scratching his head. Hitsugaya glared at him, but put his sword back and called for the officers outside to come in. Soon the room was crowded with shinigamis. Many were approaching the Espada, surrounding and locking him in a circle.

"_Bakudo number 9, Geki_" an officer mumbled under his breath. Quickly, a red light engulfed the tall enemy and he was frozen in place. Not that it was actually binding him in anyway. He scoffed but made no move to escape as Hitsugaya called for a group of officers to send a message to Unohana.

Matsumoto kept on hugging Orihime's still but beating form, listening to her chest rise and fall and rocking the female in her crouched position.

"Take me with you," the Espada said sullenly.

Rangiku stopped rocking Orihime and looked up at the male. "If I do," she hissed, "you must tell me _everything_." He looked down at her without any emotions in his steel blue eyes.

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"She's critical!" Isane called as she pushed past the crowded hallway with a cart carrying her sick patient with a few other members of her division. "Someone get the Captain!"

The whole section of the squadron was in almost panic. Groups were trying to set up an available room for a pregnant case and others were looking around for Unohana. With all the hustling, no one even noticed when Rangiku practically dragged the frozen and immobile Espada to the front of the Emergency Room where they planned to house Inoue.

Matsumoto unlocked the weak spell and made the Espada sit across from her. It was no interrogation room but it would have to do. The male obeyed her but not without a sneer. He slid against the wall and sat uncomfortably on the cushions as he watched the door idly.

"Alright then," Rangiku began, folding her arms and staring at him "what happened?"

"Too vague of a question" the arrancar answered, not even making eye contact.

She clicked her tongue on her teeth. "Let's start with your name and rank, Espada."

"Grimmjow. Sixth. Next question."

That high of a number?

"Why did you have Orihime?"

"Cause I had to rescue her from that ass-wipe Aizen."

"What was he doing?"

Grimmjow shrugged.

"I don't believe you" Matsumoto huffed.

"Whatever."

It was silent for a few minutes. The light on the Emergency Room flashed on, indicating Orihime was given her attention.

"It's probably going to take awhile…"

"I got no where to be. I'll wait."

Rangiku's breathe wavered and she licked her lips sub-concisely. Her fingers tapped on her arm. She had to ask. He knew. "Who's the dad?"

There was a pause. A very short one. "Me."

It almost made Matsumoto lose her temper with him. He was lying!

"Prove it."

Now Grimmjow was chuckling under his breath. "I don't need ta prove anything to _you_."

In the next second, Rangiku had her sword out and it was pointed at Grimmjow. No, it was not a threat. She really wasn't sure what it was but she knew she had no place and no time to fight him.

"You can't prove it?"

"I'm pretty sure shinigami and human DNA tests don't work on the damned" he scoffed.

"You think? I beg to differ."

The two had a small stare off, neither angry but just stressed. Then suddenly the doors to the ER were opened loudly and their attention broke off to see Hitsugaya standing sturdily there. He had his hands on his hips and her eyed both characters then at the sword.

"Captain!" Rangiku put her weapon back shyly "well?"

Grimmjow's ear perked immediately.

"She's not in critical condition anymore…" he began, "but she is still in a dangerous position. Her water broke a month too early and her delivering may be too risky to her life."

"Fuck it," Grimmjow growled, startling both shinigamis. He got up from his seat and approached Hitsugaya, glaring. "I thought shinigamis were supposed ta be advanced 'r something! And now yer telling me ya can't save a brat and a human!"

"Back off," Matsumoto jeered, walking up threateningly to the Espada. Hitsugaya only looked up at him indifferently.

Grimmjow merely scorned loudly before turning away and darting down the halls. Rangiku made a motion to follow but the cough of her captain told her to stay put and let the enemy away.

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Grimmjow gripped his hair savagely and gritted his teeth, almost grounding them to ashes. He had made it outside and into the sun but slid against the wall of the building and went into a sort of ball formation, knees to his chest and his head down.

If only his fellow Espadas could see him now.

_Dammit_, he cursed in his mind.

What was he supposed to do now? His woman was probably dieing right now, literally, and if she wasn't dead by the end of this, her…their…kid sure would be. It was a lose-lose situation and he felt like murdering every single shinigami for it. He was stressing out badly and he didn't know how to control his emotions this time. All he could see was red.

"Um, e-e-excuse me?"

Grimmjow bit his tongue and looked up, glaring harshly at whoever was talking to him. He was in no mood.

It was a timid and very wimpy looking shinigami who only paled and shook violently when he saw Grimmjow's eyes. The Espada blinked a few times and stilled his raving emotions for a moment. The kid had the same pack the group of shinigamis that took Orihime had.

"What?" Grimmjow cracked, hating how his voice sounded.

"Em…a-a-aren't you the arrancar th-that came with Ra-Rangiku-san?" the kid jittered.

"Yeah…"

They were both quite. "Um…"

"Yer wondering why I'm here, huh?"

"W-Well…yes, b-but I was also wo-wondering…are you o-o-ok?"

Grimmjow looked at the male questioningly. Did he just as a supposed enemy, a murderer, if he was _ok_?

"Er…yeah" the Espada blinked, caught off guard for the first time in a long time.

"Oh…that's good" and he smiled. He actually _smiled_. Who the hell was this brat? "Are you a friend of Orihime-san?"

Grimmjow sighed a bit. The kid really was full of shocks. "You could say that," he grinned. "But I heard she ain't too well at the moment."

"Well, yeah…that's true…but I think she will make it…"

"…and the brat?"

"Oh, well…"

They were quite now. Grimmjow cursed himself for feeling even a bit optimistic around the kid. He curled up again.

"But Inoue-san is strong! She won't let her child go!"

The Espada stopped and looked at the kid again. "Are _you_ a friend?"

"Well more like a friend of the friend. But she has been here a lot of times and she seems like a determined person!"

There it was again. That dumb thing called hope. It swelled up inside of Grimmjow and he tried to fight it back but he couldn't. Not with this kid around.

The doors to the building slid open slowly. Rangiku Matsumoto walked out, a hand to her belt. She eyed Grimmjow with tired eyes. The hope that had built up in his chest plummeted slowly down even with the kid's presence.

"She wants you," was all the woman whispered before turning and walking back in. Without a pause, Grimmjow followed her, and the kid hustled behind him.

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_**END**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Lolz! Don't worry everyone!!**

_**THIS**_** is the last chapter!!**

**I'm splitting it into two parts!**

**And now I suppose I should give a commission :D**

**So here goes:**

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**Thank you is what I really want to say over all!! Thank you so much everyone! Thank you for reading and reviewing and even for the constant "UPDATE ALREADY!!" XD! It really means so much to me that you all enjoyed my story in some form or another! This was my first fanfiction and I was really nervous about writing it for GrimmHime! I am so glad that it went well! Especially since the whole process of pregnancy was totally random and made no sense…**

**Well, anyways, thank you again!**

**If still interested, I've got another fic for the couple up and I'm planning to write another story for them! Please be my critics as I once again plunge into GrimmHime :D**

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The room stank of something Grimmjow couldn't quite pin-point. Blinking and jittering monitors flashed at every corner, their grey forms sad and sully. Everything else was white, though, from the door to the curtains to the bed, where an even paler woman lay with her eyes closed, colourful auburn hair fanned out on the soft pillow and her eyes softly shut. Her hands were at her side and she already looked dead though the movement of her chest told otherwise. The Espada could only stop and stare at her, hands in his pocket and face unmoving. Rangiku looked at him and glared.

"Go to her," she hissed. Clearly, she didn't like the fact that Inoue had called for the arrancar, let alone having him in the same room. He didn't even look like he cared about her state. He made no movement to the shinigami female's voice. This made her scowl even more.

Hitsugaya appeared suddenly on the other side of Grimmjow, arms cross over his small chest and his eyes scanning Inoue's weak body, mostly covered in pure silk sheets.

"The baby is being treated…"

This made the Espada's head snap up and stare down at the short captain. His mouth was open and his eyes were wide, as he stood rigid. Rangiku merrily smiled at this reaction. Finally. He was showing something.

"Wh-What are you talking about!?" Grimmjow asked, his tone totally baffled. He contracted his eyes and suddenly frowned, eyes narrowing. "What the fuck do you mean the baby's being treated…"

"You missed it, is what I'm saying," Hitsugaya looked up at the Espada and met the other's icy blue eyes with a pair of his own. "She went into labour before you got into Soul Society. This is extremely dangerous of course but it made it a lot easier. The baby slipped easily out with just a few more pushes. However, it came out stillborn. Unohana-taichou is checking up a little."

Grimmjow's mind boggled, the weight of the news heavy on his mind. He gritted his teeth and tightened his fist. "Stillborn?"

"I mean the baby came out dead."

The ticking of the machines grew louder then quieter then louder again. The beeping sound grew more frequent and the flashes of lights littered the white floor, dancing across the pristine. Grimmjow set his mouth into a thin line, keeping a shaky connection with the captain's eyes. Rangiku looked away this time, not enjoying the look on the Espada's face. It pained her, which was surprising, but this was the first time she had ever seen a soulless creature give off such a feeling of loss and death.

"Be happy she's still alive, arrancar" Hitsugaya broke the eye contact and looked at the woman. "Now do something."

That's what the Sexta had been telling himself the whole way through. Do something, _anything_. Anything for his woman.

He shook his head and, after a crucial pause, he approached the bed slowly, his black boots making uncomfortable clacking noise on the steel underneath. He stood over the immobile form of Orihime Inoue, his eyes hollow and devoid of anything. His hand grazed her shoulder, like a robot. Not taking anymore of this, Matsumoto turned and left the room quickly. Her captain followed behind and gripped her shoulder as she shook with a quiet sob. Hanataro stood idly by, who respectfully did not enter the room, and gave the female lieutenant a simple, sad look. Back inside, Grimmjow let the silence continue to envelope him, destroying any emotions that tried to wiggle there way through his mind. Anger. Disbelief. Desperation.

He brushed his strong hand through the woman's arm again, harder this time. He expected her to die right then and there in front of him. He didn't know if this was what he wanted. But she moved, shifting a little, the covers sliding off her thin form gradually. Her big grey eyes fluttered open and she blinked blurs from her eyes. Pain shot through her body but it was less then before and ever so lazily, she turned her head, auburn hair caught onto her long eyelashes. When she saw who stood above her, her face became very still. The two stared at each other, neither making a move to do anything. Both their eyes were deep and bloodless.

The lights from the machine twisted and reflected onto the bed. Red and blue dots raced around the white blanket and Inoue's revealing collarbone. But for the first time since she'd first met him, Grimmjow's eyes didn't leer onto the revealing skin.

Orihime hated this mortified state. She hated her lover's dumb eyes. The way they looked through her, the way she hated. Tears broke out of her eyelids and she squeezed them shut, biting her lip to keep from making a sound. She raised weak hands and cupped her face, bending her body, and folding the sheets. Grimmjow did nothing at first to comfort her, at a lose for his position now. But as her quiet crying started to grow louder, the Espada knelt down, face still unmoving, and pulled the woman into his chest, wrapping his arms around her as her head lulled to his shoulder. He breathed in her familiar sweet vanilla scent and held still as she poured herself into him.

Because he didn't know what else to do.

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Unohana checked up on everything she could think of. From the child's heartbeat to their breathing. Their skin was rough and cold to the touch, nothing like the soft and sweet surface of any other baby. The child's eyes were closed and their mouth gaped in a silent scream, with a ruffle of light bluish hair lay softly on their skull. Unohana found this incredibly odd but detained from that thought as her dark eyes glazed and she slid her hand off the baby's chest. Turning, her squad members looked at her, their eyes either strained or downcast. She turned off the last machine running in the room and the whole area fell into an unspeaking state.

Shinigamis shuffled nervously. One female brunette spoke up finally.

"Taichou?"

Retsu shook her head and frowned. This disturbed reaction caused every one of the members to drown in slight sorrow. The baby on the soft pink cushion lay dead silent, hands and arms out, head tilted to the side and their mouth still gaping.

"Now what?" the same brunette asked.

Unohana raised her head and looked around the well-lit room. "I don't know…"

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At some point, Grimmjow had crawled into bed and pulled Inoue onto his lap, letting her curl up on his chest for better access. He lay at rest on the bed, legs stretched and in front of him, while the woman leaned into him, his chin deep in her hair and his eyes glazed and staring ahead. Inoue was still sobbing, and curled herself into a ball, gripping her knees tightly. She wasn't in a hysterical state but her body shook with every sniff and Grimmjow hugged her tighter as the silence of the hospital room enveloped them. No doubt shinigamis from other sections of Soul Society were making there way to the fourth division head quarters, curious about the obviously loud uproar that had occurred a few hours ago. They'd be asking questions and it was up to two pairs of captains and lieutenants to hold them at bay.

_Or maybe they won't_, Grimmjow thought solemnly, _they'll probably tell about me at least_. But that was fine. He was ready to fight.

"Grimmjow," Orihime's squeaky voice broke through her muffled sniffles.

"Hm?" Grimmjow did not shift from his position.

"I'm sorry."

"Shut the fuck up, woman."

Orihime placed her head on one broad shoulder and her eyes looked up at Grimmjow's edged face. He still looked the same as always. A crude scowl graced his features, his blue eyes a deep sea, and wisps of matching hair flying about, strands of it tickling Inoue's forehead.

"Don't swear. Not in front of the baby, ok?"

Now Grimmjow did move. He leaned back and titled his head down to meet his woman's eyes. He grinned in a feral manner and twisted his arms around her waist, leaving her shoulders. She was warm and her cheeks were bright red, but she smiled back and blinked innocently.

"I'm not promising shit. If it's a guy, he's gotta learn how ta act tough."

"Swearing isn't tough," she pouted.

"You're a woman. You wouldn't understand."

Orihime rubbed her eyes and smiled wider. "There's lots of things I don't understand."

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Hitsugaya had made sure Matsumoto was ok before leaving, walking down the thick hallways, Hanataro following him. He passed by a few more emergency rooms and through the main fourth division hallway. Inside the last room, Unohana was conducting a check-up on the baby. Hitsugaya had a mind to see if he was to evidently deliver good news or bad news to Orihime but he chose not to do it at that moment. Sounds echoed from outside and the 10th division captain sighed, annoyed, but adjusted his coat and opened the main doors. Hanataro stared wide-eyed as Hinamori, Renji, Shuuhei and Byakuya stood graciously at the bottom of the porch leading to the entryway. Renji and Shuuhei were arguing about something and Hinamori was trying to break them up. Only Byakuya raised his head and met with his fellow captain's eyes.

"Toshiro Hitsugaya taichou," the low voice of the noble boomed. The lieutenants stop their bantering and looked.

"Shiro!" Hinamori chirped, smiling.

"What's going on captain? We heard a ruckus coming from her," Renji added, placing a hand on his hip.

"Nothing you should be concerned with," Hitsugaya noted, his eyes only meeting Byakuya's.

"Let us through, taichou" the sixth captain alleged, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly.

Hitsugaya met this cold gaze but nodded and calculated his next move as they ascended up the staes.

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"You're such a crybaby," Grimmjow growled and kicked the woman softly. She had moved to the other side of the bed and their legs were entangled. She kicked back and blew lines of hair away from her mouth.

"That's old. Don't you have any original names for me?"

"Cunt."

"That's not original. That's just dirty."

Grimmjow bared his teeth in a wild grin and grabbed the woman's flailing leg. Her skin was as soft and clear as he remembered it. With a jerk and a small squeal from Orihime, Grimmjow pulled her into him, her back gracing the bed's sheets. She bended her legs and tried to fixing her riding dress. The Sexta was on her in the next second, his body pressed against her. She blushed out of embarrassment this time turned her face just as he bent down and kissed her temple. He placed both elbows on either side of her so she wouldn't escape and his weight made sure she couldn't move in the slightest.

"I'll show you dirty."

**WARNING! SEX SCENE FOR THE REST OF THE CHAPTER .!**

Inoue snapped her head back up and kissed Grimmjow fiercely on the lips. He blinked in mild surprise before pressing back harder, with more passion. Her small hands grabbed his coat and pulled him in deeper, which seemed impossible as he was practically crushing her. But she loved it. It felt so comfortable. Her arms now circled his neck as he moved from her mouth down to her jaw and over the thin skin on her neck. There, he nipped and sucked at sensitive spots he knew were still there. Orihime was breathing hard, her mouth gaping and her eyes blurry. She wrapped her legs around whatever she could, which at that moment was his stomach and clutched his hair roughly. Both their bodies were now heated at an unbearable temperature, and Grimmjow forced himself to not take the woman as quickly as possible. Foreplay was always great.

"Grimm," Inoue moaned as he moved from her chest to her right breast, pulling down on the fabric to reveal the heavenly mounds that he missed so damn much. He attacked a nipple and gripped the soft flesh with his teeth, suckling. Her breath hitched and she gripped her legs tighter around his body, squeezing her eyes shut and whimpering in pleasure. Grimmjow drank it all in, rejoicing in the way she reacted to his touch. This is what he wanted. His woman all to himself.

Switching, Grimmjow moved to the other nipple and treated it as 'sweetly' as he did the last while pulling Inoue's dress even further down, revealing more skin for his sight. He grinned manically as he realized the shinigamis hadn't the time to give her underwear. This made it much easier for him. Inoue's hands flew down and covered her nether regions vainly. Orihime's whole face was as red as a tomato and she took in a large gulp of air. The Sexta moved from her nipples to in-between her breast and right down to her bellybutton. He teased there and Inoue curled up off the bed, grinding her teeth and clutched his head savagely. In response, Grimmjow went further down and his devilish tongue followed, glazing over short fine hair and down between her thighs. Orihime cried out but tried to muffle her sound as Grimmjow licked sensually against her clitoris, kissing it thoughtfully. The warm muscle was inserted into the small hole just below the lips and Inoue had to bit her lip till it bleed to stop from moaning too loudly.

"Yum," Grimmjow whispered surly as he raised his head and kissed the woman's stomach. Her pre-cum dripped from the corners of his mouth and he looked up to meet Inoue's lusty eyes. He brought his head further up and kissed her softly, letting the aroma of her juice caress her taste buds. She had been so close but not yet. He didn't want her cumming so soon. He kissed her right thigh and made her lean back down on the bed. Auburn hair scattered everywhere, her cheeks and nose were tinted deeply, small buds of tears dripped of the corner of her unchaste eyes. Grimmjow had never seen anything more beautiful.

He pulled down his pants, having gone commando as well, and stepped out of them all while kissing the woman deeply again. His jacket followed. Her arms encircled his head and brought the taste of herself deeper inside her mouth. Grimmjow was harder then he had ever been before. His cock twitched against his abdomen and he groaned as it gently touched the flushed skin on Inoue's leg. She had felt it and traced her hands down as far as she could, enticing the male even more. He gripped her waist and picked her up off the bed.

"Ah!"

Inoue's hands came upon the Espada's shoulders and he clutched her naked body snugly.

"Ready?" he asked, which surprised Inoue but she nodded and hugged his head to her chest. In a swift movement, he impaled her. She didn't cry out as loudly as she had expected but loud enough that Grimmjow had raised a hand and covered her mouth. He hissed as hot muscles clasped and clung to his cock roughly. She arched her back and snagged the male's waist with her legs as she sat scathingly on his lap. His cock felt bigger then before, searing and tearing.

"T-Tight. Damn." He growled and gripped the woman's hips, plunging himself even deeper into her body.

"A-Ah…hah…" Inoue's mouth gaped and she tried to breath but her chest was crushing her. It was painful but the pain subsided as quickly as it had come and pleasure blanketed her nicely.

"You just had a baby, damn it. Why's yer cunt so tight!" he gnarled. Orihime's thoughts drifted to her child and she suddenly felt awkward. Grimmjow realized what he had said and looked down at her as she sat, still wrapped around him, and with hands brushing against his torso. She now remembered the hatred and sadness she felt for him, for waiting so long for him to come and hold her and talk to her and, yes, touch her like he was now. The despair she had felt when she realized she held his child and the way he turned from her when he heard this.

There really were things she didn't understand. She didn't understand Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Was that ok?

"What am I going to do…" she asked out loud to know one in particular. It seemed strange that she was thinking in such a way while a still flaccid Grimmjow was inside of her, _stuck_, really, inside of her. The Sexta made a face at his lover.

"I'll tell ya what you're gonna do," he said, his voice still laced with lust but with a new tone, "yer gonna raise that kid to be a damn brilliant brat and yer gonna keep enjoyin' yer life and yer gonna have me around to do some shit cause there's no way in Hell 'r Heaven I'm going back to Hueco fucking Mundo. And yer gonna smile cause I'm sick and tired of yer sad face, and I don't fuck girls with sad faces. And yer gonna nod and agree with me right now so we can get _back_ to fucking. Clear yet, woman?"

Inoue blinked and stared at Grimmjow. He stared back with a passive look. She tilted her head ever so slightly and gave her lover an easy look. Then she nodded and smiled. He smiled back and gripped her waist once again, raising her out. Quickly returning to her helpless state, Inoue whimpered at the lose but breathed out deeply as Grimmjow buried himself inside of her again. And again and again and again. At some point, Inoue was riding him by herself, his hands around her stomach as she guided herself. He groaned as she rode him harder, skin slapping on skin, and her body shook violently with pleasure.

"Ah, woman…" Grimmjow rasped, raising his hips to meet with her movements. She kept moaning his name between thrusts as a reply and the soon as a synchronized pattern.

"I love you," she exhaled, grinning like a fool. He stayed silent but hugged the woman's body.

_Love's pretty foolish_, he thought to himself, _and confusing…how am I supposed to figure it out!_

Inoue dug her nails into Grimmjow's shoulder as she moaned out one last time, climaxing hard. As the muscles inside of her tightened around his cock, Grimmjow gave a responding grunt before cumming, shooting profoundly into the woman. She mumbled at the wet sensation across her stomach and below but flashed her shimmering eyes at Grimmjow in complete bliss.

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**Eh….first sex scene I have ever written...Next is part two of the end ^^**


	22. Chapter 22

**PART 2!**

**Ok so now you will know if the kid is alive or not! And once again, having sex after giving birth is most likely not possible! Sorry for that! But, yah, I have no idea why I felt the need to add it in there…maybe cause I needed a bigger reason for why the fiction was rated M…**

**MAJOR STORY REGRET: adding in a sex scene too early (in my opinion anyway)**

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Byakuya sniffed and looked down at the tiny infant. It looked back, but just barley, big greyish eyes blinking from the light of the room but somehow managing to sneak in a nonchalant look that was abnormal for any newborn. Byakuya blinked and the child blinked. Hinamori was grinning madly, stroking it's soft, supple face with cautions fingers. None of the other shinigamis stopped her. Hisagi even bent down and smiled warmly at the tired thing. Renji merely raised an eyebrow at this all.

"I suppose I have some explaining to do," Unohana admitted, her hands cupped in front of her and her head bowed respectively. Deep black eyes fluttered dangerously at Byakuya. Hitsugaya was leaning on the opposite side of the room and shot both captains a small look. Hanataro had disappeared after Retsu had whispered some instructions in his ear.

"Please do," the sixth division captain answered in an unwavering manner.

"So cute!" Momo squealed, apparently unfazed that this was a product of an arrancar, as the baby opened it's mouth and closed it again, then re-opened it, squeezing it's eyes shut and relaxing every few seconds. The lieutenant was jumping up and down, her excitement evident in her gleaming brown eyes.

"Careful!" Shuuhei exclaimed, panicking slightly.

"I am!" Hinamori answered in a huffy manner. Hitsugaya smiled, recalling a memory where Momo was much younger and taking care of the abandoned kids around their old neighbourhood. Hisagi stuck out one shy finger and traced it over the child's revealing arm, flushing at the comforting way it gestured.

"It's just a kid," Renji scratched his head but silenced after Momo gave him a darkened look.

Kuchiki ignored their bantering and met with Unohana at a corner of the room. The people who had helped the fourth division captain stood idly by, shy and a bit scared at the prescience of two captains and three lieutenants. They made no move to do anything and simply trust Unohana in her explanation.

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Inoue squinted her eyes and reached with her hand out towards her lover's abdomn. Grimmjow, whom she thought may have been dozing off, suddenly reawakened and caught her skinny arm in a death grip. Turning from his side, he glared down at her. She blinked and blushed, having been caught. The two had laid on the bed after their love-making, still partially nude. Orihime and pulled her night gown back on but did not make an effort to fix it up when it rode over her thighs. Grimmjow had slid on his pants without his belt, and his hair was all over the place. When Orihime had pointed this out and laughed, he has snapped at her but did nothing more.

And now Inoue had thought of this, being so happy and warm with Grimmjow's body next to her, as a great opportunity to feed her now curious mind about something.

"What are you doing, chick?" Grimmjow asked, dubiously.

"Eh…" Inoue made an 'o' shape with her mouth then pressed her lips together again. "I've just always wondered about…erm…"

"My hole?"

She nodded and her eyes lay on the Espada's stomach again, where said gaping hole allowed her to see past his body to the white sheets below.

"Don't touch it," he scowled.

Not taking his harsh words, Orihime pouted and let her other hand fall, quickly, into the space. Grimmjow cursed at her colourfully.

"Does it hurt or something?" Inoue asked, raising an eyebrow in humour.

"I just don't like anyone touching it," Grimmjow's other hand grabbed the woman's wrist and he began to try to pry her hand out. "What the hell bitch!"

"Does it feel good?" Orihime continued to ask, her eyes still on the hole, even though both her hands were held in a tight grip and out in front of her. She took this next opportunity and lunged at Grimmjow, wrapping her arms around his chest with a child-like giggle. The sixth narrowed his eyes meanly at her, and did nothing, even putting a hand across her back to hold her there.

"It just feels strange," he answered honestly.

"See! Now that wasn't so hard to answer!"

"Cunt."

"Let it go," she giggled again and cuddled herself closer to his body. She knew he wasn't a very cuddle-after-sex kind of guy, but she certainly was that type of female lover and imposed the rule of hugging just at that moment. Before, back in Las Noches, she had been more then usually afraid to tell Grimmjow anything. She really wondered now about how she could have ever fallen for the rough and cruel Espada. Something must have happened and she didn't remember it, but it didn't matter.

A soft knock alerted the couple. Orihime spun away, unwrapping herself from Grimmjow's embrace, much to the dislike of the arrancar who was enjoying his woman's warmth, and both looked at the door. Inoue pushed herself off the bed, fixed her dress and strutted to the door. Grimmjow pulled the white covers over his lower body but made no move to retrieve his jacket. When the woman pushed the door open, she was silent. Grimmjow couldn't quite see from where he was sitting, so he shifted and managed to spot who was at the door.

"Miss Orihime!" the weak, straggly kid from before exclaimed. He wasn't smiling though and Grimmjow took himself off the bed, following Orihime's actions.

"Oh hello," she smiled kindly, remembering him obviously. "Is it Hanataro-san?"

The male nodded quickly. "Please, you must get out of here" he said in a bit of a lower voice. She now gave him a confused look, and her smile dropped. The Espada loomed behind her, staring down at the shinigami male who looked flustered at the sight of the shirtless arrancar.

"Get out?" Grimmjow questioned, jeering slightly. In any other case, he would laugh and make fun of such a weak-looking boy. But not this time and Grimmjow hoped that he wasn't getting soft on himself.

"Hurry! I don't think the Captain can stall for long!" the boy jittered on, using hand gestures now.

"Why? What's going on?" Inoue now sounded a bit frantic.

"Others have come! You must leave! I will get you out of here!"

Grimmjow did nothing, looking down at the top of Inoue's head, where strands of auburn hair stuck out messily. She was very still and her lips were stuck together for an instant, her eyes a bit blank.

"And what about my child?"

Hanataro's breath hitched and he gave her an unpredictable look, eyes much more animated then hers at that moment. Grimmjow's large hand lay on the small of her back but she didn't move, eyelids now crunching up.

"I'm not leaving without my baby."

The shinigami could say nothing, and the arrancar had nothing to add. If his woman wasn't leaving, he sure as hell wasn't either. Yamada knew he was in a bit of a slump and searched his mind for something to fix this. The smile he tried was awkward.

"I-I'll try my best…b-but first we need to find you a safe place to hid," he gulped and shifted in his uniform. "I'm sorry. This is for the best."

There was one heartbeat of silence where the two lovers looked at each other and came to the same conclusion. Grimmjow turned and grabbed his jacket off the floor and Orihime grabbed the only thing she'd brought: her hairclips, which Unohana had taken off her hair when they were delivering the baby. She slid them onto her bangs and nodded ditheringly at the scrawny shinigami. In the next minute, the room was empty, Grimmjow slamming the door behind.

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"I know this may be much, but I was wondering if you two have any practice in masking your energy levels in any way?" Hanataro had asked this the minute they had entered the hallway. Orihime shook her head. She'd never had, had a reason to. But Grimmjow tapped his chin and thought.

"Well, I sort'a have something that does that _for_ us. Though strictly speaking I don't know if the thing will work all to well…"

"What thing?" Inoue asked.

"It's called an _ocultado_. One of Aizen's new toys. A bit of it's energy remains with someone who uses it. But I don't know if it's enough to hide our reisitsu."

"If it's enough to mask just Inoue's and your's that's fine," Hanataro interrupted, not looking directly at the Espada. "I-I can do it for myself only."

Grimmjow grabbed Inoue's shoulder then, and she let him grip her as hard as he needed to let a small prick of warmth enter her body before letting go. With the transfer done, a slight feeling of being pushed downwards running through her veins, Inoue gave one short look down the hallway, her eyes dazed and worried.

"They couldn't be following us so soon, Miss Inoue" Hanataro noted, when he noticed the female looking back. The two men had already started moving, and Orihime had to snap out of her revenue to follow their brisk walk.

"Oh yes but…that wasn't what I was looking for…" In actuality, Orihime wondered where Rangiku was. The shinigami woman would probably be in dire trouble if Soul Society found out she had something to do with the dilemma about the arrancar. Orihime was going to ask but it just didn't seem right at that time. Grimmjow placed a hand on her shoulder and this made the female go faster, with more anticipation.

It was a smooth escape. There was no one in the glistening, hollow hallway and the only sound came from the breathing of the shinigami and Inoue. Grimmjow didn't seem like he was getting tired at all, and that only seemed right as he must have gone through faster speeds then the way the other two were going. Also, he was taller with longer legs, and made great distances easy. The trio made there way out of the building and into the garden yard. Everywhere, flowers bloomed and shimmered, their petals wet from a watering not too long ago. Orihime gasped at the colours and Grimmjow was blinded, feeling annoyed by their sweet scent. The shinigami walked past and ran towards the fence.

"It won't be easy from here on…" he whispered to the other two, which wasn't needed as no one was around at all. "I don't know how we will get past any more shinigamis."

"That's easy," Grimmjow shrugged, and placed his hands on his hips. "I'll just rip them apart."

The male shinigami paled but Orihime merely nudge her lover, shaking her head. "We run if they try to attack us." Grimmjow looked at her as if she were crazy but she held his gaze. "It will be less messy."

Grimmjow had to agree, though grumbling under his breath. The three took their time to quietly get over the fence (Grimmjow jumped nosily, sparking a frustrated look from his lover) and muddled along the pathway, covered in blown dirt.

"Where are we headed to anyways?" Grimmjow chose to inquire half-way across a field of healthy green grass and weeds.

"Do you remember, Miss Inoue, the senkaimon?" Hanataro answered though not to the arrancar whom he was too nervous to refer to. looking ahead so as not to trip on the few roots that extended from aging trees.

"Oh, wasn't that the gate that we went into after rescuing Rukia?" Orihime questioned.

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow at being ignored but chose, for the sake of his position, to stay silent. Hanataro nodded at Orihime's reply.

"You'll be going through that."

"So we're heading to the Human World?" Orihime worried over this. Her friends would be able to sense her reisitsu in a heartbeat, and if they didn't get suspicious over that, they would once they sensed Grimmjow.

"You'll have to." Hanataro came to a stop near a platform and ushered the two behind a thick blue wall. A couple of low class shinigami with items like looked like blank pitchforks in their hands walk by closely near them. Orihime squeezed her eyes shut, hoping whatever Grimmjow had done masker her energy properly.

"Don't stress, or it won't work," Grimmjow whispered harshly in her ear. She tried relaxing her muscles after that. When the two shinigami passed, slowing down a little at one point out of curiosity but picking up speed after a second, the three tiptoed around the area and came to another, much high platform. A ring of dark yellow arches encircled the area and Inoue had nostalgic feelings rush towards her. Memories of first arriving to Soul Society, with her friends, and then training with Rukia for the war. Which only sprung up more memories of being kidnapped, living in Hueco Mundo and, of course, finally meeting Grimmjow.

In one fleet, Inoue finally wondered about the things that had led up to this moment. What if she hadn't let Grimmjow take her, have her for himself. What if she hadn't fallen for him. What if she hadn't had the baby. In her short time, though, she had unconsciously chosen not to care about the 'what if's anymore. She was here and this was happening. She was going to leave behind her friends, family, her entire life, for one man, one creature, and her child. If anyone were to have told her she would end up her one the first day she came to Las Noches, she would have laughed in complete disbelief.

Making sure that no others were approaching the platform, Hanataro stepped to face the largest arc, the space under strangely unoccupied, and slid out his skinny sword. Grimmjow watched with curiosity while Orihime took the whole regular routine with patience.

"Damn, wish we had something like that in Hueco Mundo…" Grimmjow trailed over as Hanataro turned his sword like it was a key and suddenly the whole awkward space lit up brightly. He stepped away quickly and turned to the two.

"Please hurry! I can only keep it for a little while and this will surely attract attention!"

Grimmjow huffed, still wanting a little bit more action (where was the fun in escaping if you didn't fight off someone trying to stop you?). But Orihime rushed up to Hanataro and gave him a curt hug.

"Thank you! And please come and find us when you can!" she exclaimed before going into the senkaimon. Hanataro had stood stiffly in her grasp, blushing a little, and Grimmjow had fruitlessly shaken his head, chasing after the woman with a little more ease.

"Also, kid, when you do come to find us, I got some interesting information about what Aizen has cooked up for you all," he murmured with a glint in his eyes. Hanataro took this comment to heart, duly noting it in his mind. After all, he was still a shinigami, though a shaky one.

The boy stood stoic for a moment, idly watching the arrancar disappear into the light, before snapping out of his train of thought, hearing hard footsteps and scowls along the bottom of the platform. In a clumsy effort, he sealed the gate and erased the tracking signal in it just as one of the shinigamis that had passed the trio beforehand came running up, grabbing the boy by the shoulders and spinning him around.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Hanataro's small smile, something he hadn't even realized he was wearing, dropped suddenly and he mumbled under his breath in anxiety, thinking over an excuse.

He crash landed on: "I-I came to inspect why the gate was open!"

The guard clearly didn't believe him. But noting his low ranking by the badge on his arm, and probably also based the fact that he was apart of the Fourth Division, home to a captain just as scary as Kenpachi, the guard let the scared boy go with a huff.

On the other side of the gate, Grimmjow and Orihime made there way through the dangai, both silent, both thinking hard, wondering what they will have to do for their child, for each other, as they stepped into the Real World.

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Another year would pass before a second war was waged between Aizen's army of new, more zombie-like arrancars, his former, living Espadas having been sacrificed unknowingly, and Soul Society, who still reeled from the losses of the first war. The battle would come to a closing very quickly this time. Aizen, however, put up more of a fight. Kurosaki Ichigo would drum up his strength, a power he never knew existed inside of him, to defeat the overlord and finally bring an end to Aizen's treachery, Soul Society finally locking the crazy man up for a very long time.

It would be a few more years later when such an incident brushed past a 16-year-old girl who crept around a worn out porch with an angry scowl plastered on her peachy face.

"Get the hell of the steps!" the teenager scoffed, sliding loose strands of deep auburn hair that had gotten out of her bun behind her ear with annoyance. She held her pale broom threateningly upwards, her dark sea blue eyes glaring daggers at the little boys that bickered amongst themselves, lying lazily on the wooden porch steps leading up to the Urahara Shop. They looked at her with smiling, mocking faces and stuck their tongues out before racing away, her broom coming down on the steps where they had been just a second ago with a sudden _thud_.

Urahara Kisuke himself sat quietly with a sly smile of his own, fanning himself with his hat despite the fan sitting at his side as another heat wave set in.

"Don't get too violent there, Kotori-chan! You'll scare away my customers!"

The woman blinked at the man, looked to her right slowly, than to her left even slower and then back to him, snarling. "What customers?"

Jinta, who'd been by the side of the shop, practicing his swings with a worn-out wooden baseball bat, snickered silently to himself. Ururu, perched on the very top of the porch steps, gave no sudden reaction, braiding a set of bending branches into a crown.

"Besides, _you_ hired me to scare off these brats. That's what I'm doing, right?" she huffed, brushing some plaits of dirt of the porch in a flurry.

"Right, right, but you don't need to scare them out of their wits!" Kisuke continued.

Tessai emerged from the front door, carrying a few popsicles which he handed to Urahara, Ururu, Kotori and Jinta. The teenager accepted her treat with a quiet thank you and ravished it, completely tired and piercingly hot from the labour she found herself in.

"Good morning," Rukia Kuchiki piped in, strutting over from pretty much out of no where, grinning broadly at the company.

"Oh Rukia-chan! Brought me something interesting today?" Kisuke chirped, getting up from his comfortable position. Kotori on the other hand simply eyed the short woman from where she stood with the usual curiosity. It wasn't every day a shinigami came to visit, even Rukia who fell to the Earth more times than was probably allowed.

Kisuke came to step beside the shorter woman who dug into her pocket and produced a spherical item that glowed a pale purple in the light of the ever-enduring sun.

"Don't know what it is. We can't exactly figure it out."

The shopkeeper picked it up, gave it a once-over and slid it into his breast pocket.

"I'll take a look at it! I certainly hope you've all figured out the rest of Aizen's little contraptions…" Kotori could see the blonde man eye her and she took the notice, getting back to work sweeping the porch as loudly as possible so as not to hear what the two at the bottom were saying. It was always like this, though she never minded. She was never much into the going-on of Soul Society's world. The secrecy annoyed her just a bit but she was never mad enough to ask.

The most that she knew about was that her mother was once an ally to the shinigamis and her father, a hated enemy. An arrancar, Kisuke was quick to explain. Her heritage was really the _only_ thing he talked to her about. Kotori herself hadn't seen her parents much. They tended to come and go, usually when she was asleep or away from the shop, leaving little messages or even gifts, especially on every birthday she'd had. Urahara told her they were in another dimension, away from the Human World, Soul Society or even Hueco Mundo. That it wasn't time yet for them to come stay with her. But this was a point in her life where Kotori didn't feel a need to go after them anyways. She felt like they were always with her anyways, beside her, taking care of her at every sharp turn of her life. She didn't need to physically see or touch them to know they exist, and she was, above all else, proud of them and proud of who she was.

There was just one other things though. Kotori peeked through her work at Rukia again, who stared intently at Urahara, nodding a few times as he spoke. That woman, and another shinigami, were once her mother's dearest friends. They probably still are friends, though, just like Kotori, they rely on that special bond they have to validate their friendship. But that friendship didn't evidently validate them knowing that Kotori was Inoue Orihime's daughter. That went for the rest of her friends, too: Ichigo Kurosaki, Ishida Uryuu, Sado Yatsudo and Tatsuki Arisawa, as well as her other school mates from what now felt like a long time ago.

The only ones who knew the truth where Kisuke, another beautiful shinigami named Rangiku Matsumoto, two shinigami captain named Toshiro Hitsugaya and Unohana Retsu, a lieutenant named Isane Kotetsu and a shaky shinigami named Hanataro Yamada. How they had managed to hid her from the rest, she wasn't sure. Rangiku was the only one out of them all that dared to leave Soul Society to see her, though her visits were rationally few and far in between. Kotori saw the woman as a mother figure even so.

However for Inoue's closer friends, it was kind of awkward to know them, see them, be friendly, but having them not know the truth about _her_. They were bound to run into each other a lot, considering she roomed in Kisuke's shop and was somehow tied into Soul Society. And then there was that friendship bond again, now stringed to Kotori, where they couldn't help but treat her like their own daughter or little sister because of her mother's will in her. Even Ishida, who'd moved to Paris a few months back, took time off his schedule to come see her on her birthday. Ichigo Kurosaki especially was like a father figure and, much to her amusement, when she told Urahara this, he'd been quick to note that Kotori's real father as a lot like Ichigo in their stubbornness and thick-headedness. Tatsuki was her closest female friend, a sister where Rangiku was a mother, and a boxing champion now with lots of endorsement but plenty of time to spend chatting and shopping.

It was hard, really, for Kotori to contain herself. She really truly wanted to tell the close-knitted group, who still to that very day ask about Orihime's presence, that she was her mother's child. But thinking on it, she believed it would make little difference. She knew as much about her mother's whereabouts as them and besides, they loved her either way and she loved them.

"Hey working girl!" Rukia blustered in, snapping Kotori out of her train of thought. She looked down to see the shinigami smirking up at her, a lollipop in her hand. The young woman smiled and took the treat.

"Thanks, Kuchiki-san!"

Rukia paused then, her large eyes staring intently at the teenager, before smiling warmly. Kotori remembered then that, that had been what Inoue used to call her. "Working hard?"

"It's the labour I have to go through to even be living here," she shrugged. Rukia, like many others, still wondered what the teenager's connection to their world was. But she wasn't one to pry, thank goodness, and pressed her lips in silence.

"In any case, I'll let you get back to work!" Rukia stepped back and shrugged. "Oh, and I heard there's a festival coming up? Renji wants to see it so we'll be coming around when it arrives. Come with?"

"'Course!"

After one curt nod, Rukia fluttered away, disappearing to her world once more.

Kotori shot a look at Urahara who looked back with that familiar expression that said nothing and everything at the same time. Every day, Kotori knew, every day she would somehow be subjected to her mother's past, her father's past and the future she wasn't exactly ready for. One day, maybe the Soul Society would realize the truth about her somehow. One day, maybe her parents will come for her and she'll go with them to wherever they are. One day, maybe she'll finally dive headlong into the troubles that still spike up here and there in the Real World and the shinigamis' world.

One day, but not now.

In some far off land, detached from all existences, sat two people, a good distance away from each other but locked by their intertwining fingers. One hand big, thick and rough, the other short, delicate and soft. They both gazed out into a clear white sky, or what appeared to be sky-like, seeing nothing.

"So I heard from Kisuke that Kotori-chan's got a piano recital in the next week or so…" Orihime Inoue commented with a little laugh.

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez scoffed in exaggerated annoyance. "Piano is seriously for wusses."

"You should have ushered her to tai-kwon-do or fencing or something, then" she titled her head, light auburn hair brushing his shoulder. "It worked for me."

"Whatever, woman, I'm letting her do what she wants, unlike some favouring mother…" he stated with a wrinkle of his eyebrows and a tight grip on her hand.

"I've always wanted to know how to play the piano!" she exclaimed with a pout. "It's only natural a mother would want her child to achieve all that she didn't."

While it came out with a childish tone, that last line spoke reverting volumes between the two.

Grimmjow let go of his woman's hand in favour of encircling his arm around her thin shoulders. She leaned right into the man she loved with a relieved sigh.

_I was 17, and completely responsible for the best mistake of my life._

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**THE END**

**Er…yeah, cheesy ending…but I didn't know how to really end it…Anyways, once again, thank you to all my reviewers and readers! It was a pleasure writing for all of you, and I hope my writing technique gets better and my storylines more rigid. Also for those confused why their child turned out to be a woman that looked nothing like the boy in Inoue's earlier dream…failed plot twist attempt? I don't really have much of an answer other than I changed my mind! And if you're wondering why the girl's name is Kotori, the name means 'bird of luck' which I felt fit her character, considering she was expected to be dead and wasn't.**

**Anyways, don't know why this was so late, really I actually don't…lack of inspiration? But either way I needed to end this story for you all, and for me, too, so hope this was a (somewhat?) satisfying end!**

**Any questions, feel free to ask!**


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